DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evolution of an aerial syndrome in owlflies (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae)

论文研究：猫头鹰空中综合症的进化（神经翅目：Ascalaphidae）

• 批准号: 1110707
• 负责人: John Oswald
• 金额: $ 1.5万
• 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: 2011-05-01 至 2013-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1110707&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Evolution; aerial; syndrome

Although most living insects are capable of flight, their aerial abilities vary widely from group to group. Owlflies (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae) are one of the few groups of insects that exhibit a highly specialized "aerial syndrome", characterized by the ability to mate, capture prey, and consume prey, all while on the wing. The factors involved in the origin and evolution of this distinctive behavioral syndrome have never been examined in detail. This project will investigate -- through new taxonomic and phylogenetic work -- the development of the syndrome in owlflies and its influence on their evolutionary history. This work will provide additional insights into the repeated emergence of novel life history strategies that occur in animals through the convergence of advanced anatomical and behavioral adaptations -- an area of considerable conceptual interest, as the development of these new strategies may be a prerequisite for the broader radiation of particular lineages into previously unoccupied niches. Support from this award will enhance dissertation research in neuropteran systematics by enabling new collaborations and by supporting fieldwork and research collection visits. The work will also contribute to the development and extension of new tools for aggregating and disseminating global information on neuropterid insects through its collaborations with the web-based Lacewing Digital Library project.

虽然大多数现存的昆虫都能飞行，但它们的空中能力在不同的群体之间差异很大。猫头鹰（脉翅目：Ascalaphidae）是少数几种表现出高度专业化的“空中综合症”的昆虫之一，其特征是能够在飞行时交配，捕获猎物和消耗猎物。这种独特的行为综合征的起源和演变所涉及的因素从未被详细研究过。该项目将通过新的分类学和系统发育学工作调查猫头鹰综合征的发展及其对它们进化历史的影响。这项工作将提供额外的见解，反复出现的新的生活史策略，发生在动物通过先进的解剖学和行为适应的融合-一个相当大的概念兴趣的领域，因为这些新的策略的发展可能是一个先决条件，为更广泛的辐射特定的谱系到以前未被占用的壁龛。该奖项的支持将通过促进新的合作以及支持实地考察和研究收集访问来加强neuropteran系统学的论文研究。这项工作还将通过与基于网络的草蛉数字图书馆项目的合作，促进开发和推广新工具，用于汇总和传播全球脉翅目昆虫信息。