Molecular Systematics and Coevolution in Yucca Moths

了解决定寄主利用和特异性的机制是研究植物-动物相互作用、多样化和共同进化过程的核心。本项目将对丝兰属Tegeticula Parategiticula和Prodoxus（昆虫纲：鳞翅目：prodoxae）的丝兰蛾进行系统发育系统研究，其中一些丝兰蛾是其寄主丝兰植物的专性传粉者，以验证这些蛾之间的寄主特异性、互惠关系逆转和物种多样化模式的假设。系统发育假说将利用形态计量学和分子工具发展。后者需要线粒体和核DNA测序，变性梯度凝胶电泳。研究结果将用于验证传粉者和寄主植物之间的一对一寄主特异性、传粉行为的多重逆转、植物-昆虫系统发育的一致性、生活史变化的约束模式以及寄主转移作为合作背叛途径的假设。为了研究种间相互作用，还将对这些经典模型群中的所有属进行现代系统修订。这些结果将为植物-昆虫相互作用的最重要模型系统之一提供一个框架，并将增加我们对植物取食昆虫宿主转移的理解。研究结果可以立即应用于农业和应用昆虫学，有助于了解有害生物在与植物的相互作用中如何随着时间的推移做出反应和变化。

9528072 PELLMYR Understanding the mechanisms that determine host utilization and specificity is central to the study of plant-animal interactions, diversification, and the process of coevolution. This project will explore the phylogenetic systematics of yucca moths in the genera Tegeticula Parategiticula and Prodoxus (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Prodoxidae), some of which are obligate pollinators of their host yucca plants, to test hypotheses about host specificity, reversal of mutualism, and patterns of species diversification among these moths. Phylogenetic hypotheses will be developed using morphometric and molecular tools. The latter entails mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequencing, and denaturing-gradient gel electrophoresis. The results will be used to test hypotheses of one-on-one host specificity between pollinators and their host plants, multiple reversals of pollination behavior, congruence of plant-insect phylogenies, constrained patterns of life history change, and host shifts as a path for defection in cooperation. Modern systematic revisions will also be compiled for all genera in these classical model groups for the study of interspecific interactions. The results will be a framework for one of the most important model systems of plant-insect interactions and will increase our understanding of host shifts in plant feeding insects. The results could have immediate application in agriculture and applied entomology by contributing to understanding how pest organisms respond and change over time in their interactions with plants.