红瓢虫的系统发育研究（鞘翅目：瓢虫科：短角瓢虫族）

红瓢虫为红瓢虫属Rodolia昆虫的统称，属于鞘翅目、瓢虫科、短角瓢虫族Noviini，该类群取食绵蚧和蚧类害虫，是生物防治中的重要捕食性天敌。一些种类如澳洲瓢虫被引进到世界50多个国家和地区，成为现代生物防治的里程碑。但是该类群在分类上存在许多问题，属、种的界定依然相当模糊，严重影响了对该生物防治重要天敌类群的进一步深入研究。本项目以红瓢虫作为研究对象，结合比较形态学和分子生物学技术，分析形态特性、形态特征相关基因、线粒体基因组、物种基因组、生物学、生态学特性等全要素，探讨短角瓢虫族Noviini中属、种间的亲缘关系，解决目前属级分类单元划分中存在的问题; 采用全面的物种基因组数据及全新的形态特征数据，重建短角瓢虫族Noviini的系统发育关系；解析红瓢虫的食性演化，为天敌瓢虫引进迁移后的遗传变异研究提供可靠的基础资料和数据。

Species of Rodolia Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Noviini) prey primarily on scales of the genus Icerya. Recorded hosts include Icerya purchasi Maskell, Icerya seychellarum (Westwood), Pseudococcus sp., and Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targioni-Tozzetti). The best-known member Rodolia cardinalis (Mulsant, 1850) was introduced into California from Australia by Albert Koebele in 1888. The modern history of biological control dates from the spectacular control of the cottony cushion scale Icerya purchasi by this introduction of vedalia beetle R. cardinalis. Up today, it is found feeding on the scales in many countries around the world. After more than a hundred years achieving remarkable results as biological control agents, the members of Australian Rodolia have been reported achieving adaptation in the field and associations with different species of scales. The feeding range studies of candidate biological control agents and whether the introduction of these beetles would have any impact on native fauna are being more and more considerate. Introduced biological control agents have opportunities for population admixture through multiple introductions in the field. Previous studies based on genetic markers suggested a history of population admixture in the similar historical predatory ladybird beetle Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant in China, which was introduced from Australia with Rodolia cardinalis. Physiological and evolutionary changes happened in a biological control agent during prey shifts over several generations. Accurately classify the species and understanding of their phylogeny is the most important prerequisite to the biological control program. .Noviini is a group of substantial agricultural significance as biocontrol agents, yet has been consistently problematic to classify, with generic relationships poorly understood. In this proposal will provide the phylogenetic reconstruction of the relationship with the Noviini based on comprehensive analysis of morphological characteristics, genome OGS data and the newly established data of morphological characters related gene families, biological and ecological data. The aims of our study are to (1) assess the monophyly of Noviini; (2) generate the first comprehensive phylogenetic hypothesis about generic relationships within the tribe Noviini; (3) reconstruct the evolution of selected morphological characters and of food preferences within Noviini.