PEET: Biogeography, Morphology, and Molecular Systematics of Cumaceans: Training Taxonomists for the 21st Century

9521783在世界上大部分海洋和大陆边缘的地区，观察甲壳类动物水母目在很大程度上是未知的。水蚤是一种小型甲壳类动物，与双足类、等足目和其他几个类群结盟，所有这些类群都在育儿袋中携带幼崽。在许多浅海习性中，它们是幼鱼饮食中的重要食物。事实上，人们对该群体的进化史一无所知。此外，在小甲壳类动物的分类中使用的许多特征也存在不确定性，这是其他几个小型甲壳类动物的特征，因此，为这一类群制定的原则可用于揭示其他类群中的类似问题。这项研究的分类目标是专著的美洲海岸和东南太平洋的锥虫动物群，并检验关于该类群的分类特征和生物地理史的效用的假说。此外，该项目还将通过编写分类学专著，在分类学的形态和分子方法方面培训下一代甲壳类分类学家。最终目标是提供这种分类数据的电子存储和存档。%%该项目的意义在于更好地了解这一鲜为人知但具有生态重要性的甲壳类动物的分类和进化关系。此外，这项研究将培养出训练有素的科学家，他们精通经典的专题学和分类学的分子方法。***

9521783 Watling The crustacean order Cumacea is largely unknown for large areas of the worldOs oceans and continental margins. Cumaceans are small crustaceans, allied with amphipods, isopods, and several other groups, all of whom carry their young about in a brood pouch. In many shallow marine habits they are important food items in the diets of young fish. Virtually nothing is known about the evolutionary history of the group. There is also uncertainty associated with many of the characters used in the taxonomy of cumaceans, a feature which characterizes several other groups of small crustaceans, therefore, principles developed for this group may be used to unravel similar problems in other taxa. The taxonomic objective of this research is to monograph the cumacean fauna of AmericaOs shores and those in the southeastern Pacific, and to test hypotheses regarding utility of taxonomic characters and biogeographic history of the group. In addition the project will train the next generation of crustacean systematists in both morphological as well as molecular methods of systematics through the production of taxonomic monographs. A final objective is to provide for the electronic storage and archiving of this taxonomic data. %% The significance of the project is to provide a better understanding of the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships among this little known but ecologically important group of crustaceans. In addition the research will produce broadly trained scientists well schooled in classic monographic as well as molecular methods of systematics. ***