CAREER: Evolution of the Locomotor Apparatus in Arthropods

节肢动物（蛛形纲动物、甲壳纲动物、昆虫、蜈蚣等）是一种非常古老而多样的动物群体，它们使用许多不同的运动方式。在所有情况下，运动依赖于两个系统的有效相互作用，即提供推进机械结构的骨骼肌系统和控制运动时间的神经肌肉系统。最近对各种动物的研究表明，骨骼肌系统的进化相对较快，而神经肌肉系统的进化相对较慢。PI将通过研究螯足类（蜘蛛、蝎子等）和蜈蚣这两种节肢动物运动机制的骨骼肌和神经肌肉特征的相对进化速度来检验这一观点。这将通过在系统发育树上绘制骨骼肌和神经肌肉特征并确定这两种特征在进化史上的相对位置来完成。快速进化的特征预计会出现在树的分支末端附近，而缓慢进化的特征预计会出现在树的基部附近。该项目的结果可能表明，在形式和功能的演变中存在一般模式。

Shultz 9733777 The arthropods (arachnids, crustaceans, insects, centipedes, etc.) are a very ancient and diverse group of animals that use many different methods of locomotion. In all cases, locomotion depends on the efficient interaction of two systems, namely, a skeletomuscular system that provides the mechanical structures used in propulsion and a neuromuscular system that controls the timing of movements. Recent research on a wide range of animals suggests that evolution in the skeletomuscular system is relatively fast and evolution of the neuromuscular system is relatively slow. The PI will test this idea by examining relative rates of evolution in skeletomuscular and neuromuscular features of the locomotor mechanisms of two arthropod groups, the chelicerates (spiders, scorpions, etc.) and the centipedes. This will be accomplished by mapping skeletomuscular and neuromuscular features on phylogenetic trees and determining the relative placement of the two types of characters in evolutionary history. Fast-evolving characters are expected to appear near the ends of the branches in the tree, while the slowevolving features are expected to appear near the base. The results of the project may show that there are general patterns in the evolution of form and function.