DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Integrating morphology, molecules and information technology for the taxonomic revision of Signiphoridae (Hymenoptera)

论文研究：整合形态学、分子和信息技术对 Signiphoridae（膜翅目）分类学进行修订

• 批准号: 1110631
• 负责人: James Woolley
• 金额: $ 1.17万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-06-01 至 2012-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1110631&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Integrating; morphology; molecules

This grant is for the improvement of the taxonomic revision of a family of parasitic wasps, Signiphoridae (Chalcidoidea), which are natural enemies of scale insects, mealybugs, psyllids, and flies. The project is based on a comparative study of material collected worldwide. The species will be classified and new species will be described (at least 25 new species). Evolutionary relationships will be inferred from morphological and molecular data, using state-of-the-art analytical methods. The award will also be used to develop tools to manage the large amounts of data produced (specimen information, descriptions, images, DNA sequences), prepare it for public delivery, and to visit two institutions with valuable material from the Brazilian savannah (cerrado), Atlantic Rainforest, and Amazon.Besides enhancing significantly the depth of the study, this grant provides training for a graduate student in three areas (comparative morphology, molecular studies and bioinformatics) which are essential to taxonomists in the 21st Century. Training of taxonomists is important given the increasing scarcity of such professionals. This study will facilitate the use of these insects in the control of insect pests, provide tools to other scientists in taxonomy, provide opportunity for undergraduate student workers, and contribute to the knowledge of the fauna of the New World tropics.

该补助金用于改进寄生蜂科Signiphoridae（小蜂总科）的分类修订，它们是介壳虫、粉蚧、木虱和苍蝇的天敌。该项目是根据对世界各地收集的材料进行比较研究而制定的。将对物种进行分类，并描述新物种（至少25个新物种）。进化关系将推断从形态和分子数据，使用国家的最先进的分析方法。该奖项还将用于开发工具来管理产生的大量数据（标本信息，描述，图像，DNA序列），准备公开交付，并访问两个机构与巴西萨凡纳（塞拉多），大西洋雨林和亚马逊的宝贵材料。除了大大提高研究的深度，该补助金为研究生提供三个领域（比较形态学、分子研究和生物信息学）的培训，这三个领域对21世纪的分类学家至关重要。鉴于分类学家越来越少，对这类专业人员的培训十分重要。这项研究将有助于利用这些昆虫控制害虫，为其他科学家提供分类学工具，为本科学生工作者提供机会，并有助于了解新世界热带地区的动物群。