Collaborative Research: Integrating genetics, life history, and morphology to understand the diversification of an enigmatic metazoan lineage

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Rotifers are critical members of freshwater communities because of their important roles in energy and nutrient cycling. Rotifers have also proven to be valuable models for aging and toxicology studies, and are a key early diverging lineage for understanding the pattern of evolution within the animal clade. Despite this importance, rotifer species remain difficult to identify and few phylogenetic relationships within the clade are well supported. This collaborative effort linking researchers at the University of Texas El Paso, University of Massachusetts Lowell and Ripon College will increase phylogenetic and taxonomic resolution within phylum Rotifera by using a combination of advanced molecular and morphological techniques. This research will result in a new phylogenetic classification for the clade, in addition to insights into the rates of molecular evolution and the rates and drivers of cryptic speciation within the rotifer lineage.The project will provide scientific training focused on rotifer systematics to graduate and undergraduate students at each of the three collaborating institutions. An undergraduate laboratory module, newly designed museum exhibit, and scientific workshops will all help disseminate the results broadly. The public will be able to access an interactive tutorial and key to rotifer species, plus other results from the project via the Encyclopedia of Life website.