REVSYS: Systematics and taxonomy of the tarantula spider genus Aphonopelma (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae)

蜘蛛家族Theraphosidae，通常被称为“狼蛛”，是一组蜘蛛中最多样化的血统，包括活板门和漏斗网蜘蛛。狼蛛是世界上最大的蜘蛛，可以活30多年，并有着臭名昭著的名声。尽管它们的多样性和恶名，theraphosid蜘蛛相对研究不足。狼蛛的分类是混乱的，被广泛认为是“分类和命名的噩梦”;该家族的成员在形态上相似，分类群仅基于一个或几个标本进行描述，很少有研究采用基于进化的方法进行分类。在这个研究项目中，杰森·邦德和布伦特·亨德里克斯森将实施一个为期三年的计划，通过解决最多样化（90个物种）和“离家最近”的属--无指藻，来刺激theraphosid系统学的复兴。作为这项研究的一部分，他们将采用多种类型的性格证据（形态学和分子学），通过进化、地理学和α-分类学修订，加强对Aponopelma属的生物多样性记录，开发在线分类检索表和工具，通过在北美和中美洲的广泛实地考察收集稀有蜘蛛，培养下一代生物分类学和生物学专业知识是贯穿本项目研究工作的主线。教育目标将为学生提供全面的培训，在theraphosid系统学，涉及研究解决系统学，生物多样性保护和进化生物学的基本概念问题。该项目的计算机化和推广目标将大大提高对theraphosid多样性的普遍可及性，并增加这些蜘蛛对公众的可见度。最后，狼蛛独特的生活史特征，加上它们在全球生物多样性热点地区的广泛分布，使这一群体成为保护相关研究和评估的理想模型。

The spider family Theraphosidae, commonly referred to as 'tarantulas', is the most diverse lineage among a group of spiders that includes trapdoor and funnel web spiders. Tarantulas are the world's largest spiders, can live for over 30 years and have decidedly infamous reputations. Despite their diversity and notoriety, theraphosid spiders are relatively understudied. The classification of tarantulas is in shambles and is widely regarded as 'a taxonomic and nomenclatural nightmare'; members of the family are morphologically similar, taxa have been described on the basis of only one or few specimens, and few studies have taken an evolution-based approach to classification. In this REVSYS project Jason Bond and Brent Hendrixson will carry out a three-year plan to stimulate a renaissance in theraphosid systematics by tackling the most diverse (90 species) and 'close to home' genus, Aphonopelma. As part of this study they will employ multiple types of character evidence (morphological and molecular) to enhance biodiversity documentation of the genus Aphonopelma through evolutionary, biogeographic, and alpha-taxonomic revisions, develop online taxonomic keys and tools, collect rare spiders through extensive fieldwork in North and Central America, and train students in basic biodiversity research.Training the next generation of taxonomic and organismal expertise forms a thread that runs through this project's research endeavors. The educational goal will be to provide students comprehensive training in theraphosid systematics that involves research addressing fundamental conceptual issues in systematics, biodiversity conservation, and evolutionary biology. The computerization and outreach objectives of this project will greatly enhance general accessibility to theraphosid diversity and increase the visibility of these spiders to the general public. Finally, the unique life history characteristics of tarantulas, coupled with their extensive distribution throughout global biodiversity hotspots, makes this group an ideal model for conservation related studies and assessments.