Integrative species discovery and comparison of multilocus species delimitation methods in short-range endemic harvestmen (Opiliones, Arachnida)

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Some biodiversity lineages are of special conservation concern because of specific life history characteristics. These 'short-range endemic' taxa are often small-bodied, habitat-specialized, and dispersal-limited which leads to naturally small geographic distributions which can be highly impacted by small environmental changes. This study focuses on a group of harvestman spiders, which are short-range endemics, to develop a phylogenetic and taxonomic understanding to better facilitate conservation. The investigators will use genomic and morphological data to investigate the nature of species boundaries, reconstruct species relationships, and describe new species. Species descriptions will be made available to the scientific community using digital taxonomic tools, and organismal information will be transferred more broadly via web-based resources. This project has broader societal and scientific significance in many ways. The investigators will train a postdoctoral researcher, a doctoral student, and at least one undergraduate student recruited from under-represented groups at San Diego State University, a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Trainees will work with the PI and two of the most prominent harvestmen researchers in the world. This training represents a tremendous opportunity to transfer taxonomic knowledge across generations. The PI will develop a one-week "Harvestmen Biology & Identification" field course, to be offered in the southern Appalachians, helping to directly engage students in modern systematics research and conservation issues.