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

论文研究：Anochetus 和 Odontomachus 属陷阱颌蚁的进化和功能形态

基本信息

批准号：
1407279
负责人：
Andrew Suarez
金额：
$ 2万
依托单位：
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2014
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2014-06-01 至 2016-05-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1407279&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
DISSERTATION RESEARCH evolution functional morphology

项目摘要

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.

生物学的一个核心目的是解释生命树中物种多样性模式的过程。一种可能促进生态多元化的机制是“关键创新”，即允许获取以前未开发的资源的特征。该项目会调查陷阱jaw中的一种特殊的形态创新吗？肛门和odontomachus属的蚂蚁：用于捕食捕获，巢防御和个人逃离捕食者的功率放大的下颌骨。该项目将调查下颌骨解剖学和性能如何影响这些蚂蚁的多元化，以及关键创新如何影响物种多样性的模式。具体而言，该项目将：1）生成一个物种水平的分子系统发育，用于肛门属和ODONTOMACHUS中的陷阱爪，2）使用系统发育比较方法来研究JAW形态和性能与性能与性能与3）使用有限元元素模型来检查形态变化的功能后果。这项研究将为多功能动物运动的演变提供新的见解，从系统发育，形态学和工程中整合数据。除了研究生培训外，拟议的研究还将直接在综合生物学的多个方面进行培训，包括高速摄影，运动分析，动物饲养和行为以及分子测序等技术。