Dissertation Research: Molecular Phylogenetic Relationships of the Riodinidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea)

9520824皮尔斯博士学位论文改进奖将为学生的博士论文研究提供材料和用品。这名学生的项目涉及金属标记蝴蝶(昆虫纲：鳞翅目：Riodinidae)的系统学，它们的幼虫具有迷人的发育生物学，与照顾它们的蚂蚁有关。系统发育分析将试图为这个家族建立更高级别的关系。这一分析将基于分子序列数据，并与最近(Harvey，1987)利用形态特征系统进行的博士论文系统发育研究的结果进行对比。一个显示Riodinidae主要谱系之间关系的强大的系统发育将允许测试与这一组生物学有关的假说，例如模仿的起源和Riodinidae中与蚂蚁的联系已经发展的次数。该奖项将加强研究生在现代分子系统方法方面的培训。该项目将有助于了解一组昆虫的生物多样性，这些昆虫表现出与蚂蚁互惠共生的非常有趣的生物学和行为。***

9520824 PIERCE This Dissertation Improvement Award will provide materials and supplies for a student's doctoral dissertation research. The student's project involves systematics of the metalmark butterflies (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) whose larvae have fascinating developmental biologies in association with ants that tend them. A phylogenetic analysis will attempt to establish higher level relationships for this family. That analysis will be based on molecular sequence data and contrasted with results of a recent (Harvey, 1987) PhD thesis phylogenetic investigation that utilized morphological character systems. A robust phylogeny presenting relationships among major lineages of Riodinidae will allow testing of hypotheses relating to the biology of this group such as origins of mimicry and number of times that association with ants has developed in the Riodinidae. %%% This award will enhance the training of a graduate student in modern molecular systematic methods. The project will contribute to knowledge of the biodiversity of a group of insects that exhibit very interesting biologies and behaviors in mutualistic associations with ants. ***