Collaborative Proposal: Phylogeny of the Bat Flies of the World - Insights into Trends in Host Associations and Ectoparasitism

蝙蝠蝇是蝙蝠的专性寄生虫，是一种高度专业化的吸血双翅目昆虫，数量不多，但种类繁多。它们与一般苍蝇的身体结构大相径庭，为进化研究提供了独特的机会。蝙蝠蝇分类处于不稳定状态，从未在严格的系统发育假设下进行过测试。这个跨学科的合作研究和培训项目将收集分子和形态学数据，以回答有关蝙蝠苍蝇进化及其宿主关联的悬而未决的问题。该系统的形态学和生态学方面将被研究，以追踪随时间和跨谱系的外寄生适应的演变。该项目代表了对蝙蝠蝇及其近亲的第一次全面的系统发育研究，并将提高我们对昆虫寄生进化的理解。研究结果将在科学期刊、数字图片库和生态信息网站、MorphBank Library和GenBank上发布。数据将被纳入NSF FLY生命树计划。该项目还补充和支持美国国家科学基金会资助的菲尔德自然历史博物馆的蝙蝠蝇收藏。最后，在与波多黎各大学（universsidad de Puerto Rico, Ponce）的合作下，一个名为“REAL EXPERIMENT”的三模块研究课程将让学生参与跨学科的科学研究。

Bat flies constitute a small but diverse group of highly specialized bloodsucking Diptera that are obligate parasites of bats. They deviate dramatically from the general fly body plan, offering unique opportunities for evolutionary studies. Bat fly classification is in a precarious state, never having been tested under stringent phylogenetic hypotheses. This collaborative, interdisciplinary research and training project will assemble molecular and morphological data to answer outstanding questions concerning the evolution of bat flies and their host associations. Morphological and ecological aspects of this system will be investigated to trace the evolution of ectoparasitic adaptation through time and across linages. This project represents the first comprehensive, phylogenetically-based investigation of bat flies and their relatives, and will improve our understanding of the evolution of parasitism in insects. Results will be disseminated in scientific journals, through a website with digital image galleries and ecological information, through the MorphBank Library, and through GenBank. Data will be incorporated into the NSF FLY Tree of Life initiative. This project also complements and supports the NSF funded bat fly collections at the Field Museum of Natural History. Finally, in collaboration with the Universidad de Puerto Rico, Ponce, a three-module research course called the "REAL EXPERIMENT" will engage students in interdisciplinary scientific research.