Caddisfly (Trichoptera) phylogeny: networking and cross-training

毛翅目是一种昆虫，其成虫看起来像飞蛾，是它们的近亲。由于毛翅目幼虫生活在水中，而且不同物种对污染的耐受性不同，因此对这些幼虫的定量采样通常被用来监测水质。然而，生物监测需要准确的分类，目前热带地区的毛翅目还不能做到这一点。通过这项研究，将根据分子DNA序列数据和形态数据构建代表世界毛翅目属80%的系统发育图，并将获得准确的类群分类。这一新的系统发育框架和分类将允许对新发现的物种进行定位，并集中分析物种对水污染的差异敏感性。目前有一项独立资助的大型努力，以收集短DNA片段，可用于根据物种独特的DNA序列(称为“条形码”)快速识别物种。将与毛翅目条形码倡议协调收集更多数据，以扩大这些序列在系统发育方面的应用。在这项研究期间，将向本科生和研究生提供现代分类学和系统发育方法的各个方面的培训。这项工作还将对人类健康产生影响，因为毛翅目昆虫被广泛用于水质评估的生物监测。

Trichoptera (Caddisflies) are insects whose adults look like moths, which are their closest relatives. Because Trichoptera larvae live in water, and because different species are differentially tolerant to pollution, quantitative sampling of these larvae is commonly used to monitor water quality. However, biomonitoring requires accurate taxonomy, which is currently unavailable for Trichoptera in the Tropics. With this research, a phylogeny representing 80% of the world's Trichoptera genera will be constructed from both molecular DNA sequence data and morphological data, and an accurate taxonomy for the group will be obtained. This new phylogenetic framework and classification will allow placement of newly discovered species and focused analysis on differential sensitivity of species to water pollution.There is currently a large, independently funded effort to collect short pieces of DNA that can be used to quickly identify species by their unique DNA sequences (called 'barcodes'). Additional data will be collected in coordination with the Trichoptera barcode initiative in order to extend the utility of these sequences to phylogenetics. Training in all aspects of modern taxonomic and phylogenetic methods will be provided to undergraduate and graduate students during this research. This work will also have an impact on human health because Trichoptera are extensively used in biomonitoring for water-quality assessment.