DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The evolution and functional morphology of trap-jaw ants in the genera Anochetus and Odontomachus

生物学的一个中心目标是解释在生命之树上产生物种多样性模式的过程。一种可能促进生态多样化的机制是“关键创新”，即允许获得以前未开发的资源的特征。本项目将研究一种特殊的形态创新？陷阱-颌骨？无齿蚁属和齿蚁属中的蚂蚁；用于捕获猎物、防御巢穴和个体逃脱捕食者的力量放大的下颌骨。该项目将调查下颌解剖和性能如何影响这些蚂蚁的多样性，以及关键创新如何影响物种多样性的模式。具体地说，该项目将：1)建立无齿蚁属和Odontomachus属的捕食性颌蚁的物种水平的分子系统学；2)使用系统发育比较方法研究颌骨形态与性能之间的关系；3)使用有限元模拟来研究形态变异的功能后果。这项研究将整合来自系统发育、形态学和工程学的数据，为多功能动物运动的进化提供新的见解。除了研究生培训，拟议的研究还将直接培训本科生综合生物生物学的多个方面，包括高速摄像、运动分析、畜牧和行为以及分子测序等技术。

A central goal of biology is to explain the processes that generate patterns of species diversity across the tree of life. One mechanism that may facilitate ecological diversification is that of "key innovations", traits that permit access to previously untapped resources. This project will investigate one particular morphological innovation in ?trap-jaw? ants in the genera Anochetus and Odontomachus: power-amplified mandibles used for prey capture, nest defense, and individual escape from predators. The project will investigate how mandible anatomy and performance has influenced the diversification of these ants, and how key innovations affect patterns of species diversity. Specifically, the project will: 1) generate a species-level molecular phylogeny for trap-jaw ants in the genera Anochetus and Odontomachus, 2) use phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate the relationship between jaw morphology and performance and 3) use finite element modeling to examine the functional consequences of morphological variation. This research will provide new insights into the evolution of multifunctional animal movements, integrating data from phylogenetics, morphology and engineering. In addition to graduate student training, the proposed research will also directly train undergraduates in multiple aspects of integrated organismal biology, including techniques such as high-speed videography, motion analysis, animal husbandry and behavior, and molecular sequencing.