COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: GLOBAL SURVEY AND INVENTORY OF SOLIFUGAE

从科、属和种的数量来看，solifugae是蛛形纲中第六多样化的目，但它们的进化关系和多样性在很大程度上是未知的。新物种不断被发现。该项目的目标是：1)在四个生物多样性最丰富的地区进行实地考察，发现新物种，记录其分布，为形态学、解剖学、行为学和遗传学研究收集新材料；2)重构进化关系，修正阶的高级分类；3)建立国际合作，并为目前从事隔离工作的隔离专家提供资源；4)培训新的专家；5)通过科学出版物、研讨会和互联网向公众传播有关分离物的知识。在除南极洲、澳大利亚、马达加斯加和新西兰以外的所有主要陆地干旱生态系统中，独居虫是主要的昆虫捕食者，是这些栖息地中脊椎动物的重要猎物。它们是沙漠环境的指示器，它们的消失标志着栖息地的退化。那些经过详细研究的物种似乎是栖息地特有的，范围有限，这加剧了它们因人类活动而灭绝的风险，但它们却没有得到正式的保护。许多物种可能在被描述之前就消失了。该项目计划开展的活动，包括培训新的分类学专家，将加强科学基础设施，并将大大提高我们对这些鲜为人知的蛛形纲动物的了解。

Collaborative Research: Global Survey and Inventory of SolifugaePaula E. Cushing & Lorenzo Prendini co-PIsSolifugae are the sixth most diverse order of arachnids in number of families, genera, and species, yet their evolutionary relationships and diversity are largely unknown. New species continue to be discovered. The objectives of this project are: 1) to conduct fieldwork in four regions of greatest solifuge diversity to discover new species, document their distributions, and gather fresh material for morphological, anatomical, behavioral, and genetic studies; 2) reconstruct the evolutionary relationships and revise the higher classification of the order; 3) establish international collaborations and provide resources for solifuge specialists currently working in isolation; 4) train new specialists; and 5) disseminate knowledge about solifuges to the public through scientific publications, seminars, and the internet. Solifugae are the dominant insect predators in arid ecosystems on all major terrestrial landmasses except Antarctica, Australia, Madagascar, and New Zealand, and form important prey for vertebrates in such habitats. They are indicators for desert environments, their disappearance signaling habitat degradation. Those studied in any detail appear to be habitat-specific and range-restricted, exacerbating their risk of extinction due to human activities, yet they receive no formal protection. Many species may disappear before being described. The activities planned in this project, including training of new taxonomic specialists, will enhance scientific infrastructure and will vastly improve our understanding of these poorly known arachnids.