PEET: Monography, Phylogentics, and Developing Expertise in New World Pleurostict Scarab Beetles

小行星9712447 金龟子科（Scarabaeidae）约有27，800种。 侧斑金龟子在该科中形成一个分支，包括Melolonthinae、Rutelinae、Dynastinae、Cetoniinae、Euchirinae和Phaenomeridinae亚科。 该分支约占该科的75%（或占金龟总科的69%）。 在分类学上对侧斑圣甲虫知之甚少，在新大陆只有大约50%的属可以被可靠地鉴定为属。 此外，目前的分类的pleurostict圣甲虫是基于分类结构，从上个世纪，不反映分类群的关系。 Brett Ratcliffe及其同事的这个项目将导致对pleurostict分支的所有部落的系统发育分析，以提供pleurostict圣甲虫的稳定分类。 这种基于遗传学的分类将为理解群体的起源、性状特征的进化以及物种概念和物种形成模式的含义提供科学背景。 新的分类将成为新世界320属的分类检索表的基础，该检索表将以印刷和电子格式制作。 此外，四个鲜为人知的，单系群的新世界pleurostict圣甲虫将专著：Gymnetini（Cetoniinae），Pelidnota和相关属，Trizogeniates和Platycoelia（所有Rutelinae）。 这项研究将创建电子数据库的电子级信息，字符数据，地理和时间分布，目录和图像。 除了索引之外，这四个小组的专著将以电子和印刷形式出版。 这项研究将有助于发展用于组织和访问有关金龟子的知识的计算机基础设施，并将为金龟子系统学的未来工作奠定基础。 为了实现所有这些目标，PI和博士后助理将培养两名博士-学生将成为精通现代专题，分类学和系统发育方法和电子信息传播的水平。

9712447 RATCLIFFE The beetle family Scarabaeidae has approximately 27,800 species. The pleurostict scarabs form a clade within the family and include the subfamilies Melolonthinae, Rutelinae, Dynastinae, Cetoniinae, Euchirinae, and Phaenomeridinae. The clade constitutes about 75% of the family (or 69% of the Scarabaeoidea). The pleurostict scarabs remain poorly known taxonomically, and only about 50% of the genera in the New World can be identified to genus with reliability. Moreover, the current classification of the pleurostict scarabs is based on taxonomic constructs from the last century that do not reflect relationships of taxa. This project, by Brett Ratcliffe and coworkers, will result in phylogenetic analyses of all tribes of the pleurostict clade in order to provide a stable classification of the pleurostict scarabs. This phylogeny-based classification will provide the scientific context for understanding origins of groups, character trait evolution, and implications for species concepts and modes of speciation. The new classification will form the foundation for a taxonomic key to the 320 genera of New World pleurosticts that will be produced in both print and electronic format. In addition, four poorly known, monophyletic groups of New World pleurostict scarabs will be monographed: Gymnetini (Cetoniinae), Pelidnota and related genera, Trizogeniates, and Platycoelia (all Rutelinae). This research will create electronic databases of specimen-level information, character data, geographic and temporal distributions, catalogs, and images. Monographs of the four groups, in addition to the key, will be produced in electronic and print formats. The research will contribute to the development of computer infrastructure for organizing and accessing knowledge about scarab beetles, and it will establish the foundation for future work in scarab systematics. To accomplish all of these goals, the PI and post-doctoral associate will train two Ph.D.-level students who will becom e proficient in modern monographic, taxonomic, and phylogenetic methods and electronic dissemination of information.