Ecological Diversity, Systematics, and Conservation of Hawaii's endemic Hyposmocoma

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The Hawaiian Islands are recognized as an important model for understanding general patterns of diversification, evolution and ecology. The endemic moth genus Hyposmocoma contains over 400 species, representing perhaps the most ecologically diverse Hawaiian lineage, including unique snaileating and aquatic species. However, its evolutionary and ecological history is unknown. This research will construct an evolutionary framework for these species using DNA sequences and morphology, which will reveal mechanisms and patterns of diversification such as how frequent and rapid terrestrial/aquatic shifts and carnivory occurred in Hawaii, yet remain essentially unknown elsewhere. Results will shed light on evolution in this spectacularly diverse group and also provide insight into the mechanisms leading to globally rare ecological phenomena that are concentrated in Hawaii.Many Hawaiian species are vulnerable to extinction, making Hyposmocoma a rare opportunity to study evolution in a still-diverse Hawaiian lineage. This project will train graduate, minority undergraduates, and high school students in field biology, DNA and morphological techniques and conservation biology. Through a science education exchange, promising high school students will spend a summer and/or academic year in the Rubinoff lab working on all aspects of the research. This project will contribute both to theoretical and applied science and increase scientific literacy in undergraduate and high school students. The results will be disseminated via publications, websites and presentations.