REVSYS: Classification of Loxandrini and Species-level Revisions of Feronista, Australian Loxandrus and New World Oxycrepis and Stolonis (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

这个项目将发展一个分类和专题修订物种和更高层次的群体的甲虫分布在澳大利亚和美洲。预计在这些分类群中将描述100多个新种。该研究将结合联合收割机形态学和分子分析，以产生分类学假设，属和种（重新）描述和诊断，内部/外部特征的完整插图，物种范围图，栖息地数据，基于互联网/CD和传统印刷形式的属和种识别检索表，互联网可访问的标本数据和属/物种网页。所有澳大利亚的loxandrine物种将被修订和描述，并将为非专业人士提供识别工具。本研究的重点类群是一组澳大利亚步甲，这项工作将是澳大利亚第一个主要的步甲分支，因此需要进行分支分析和现代分类。澳大利亚对我们了解世界范围内的分布模式至关重要，这些甲虫是此类研究的一个很好的模式分类群。从进化意义上讲，本研究将探讨生殖生物学和化学防御对捕食者的回避。使用系统发育假说和生态信息，如何防御化合物的变化发生在这个谱系的历史将被带到light.This修订的合成系统学建议loxandrinecarabid甲虫将汇集数据标本从majorcollectors世界各地，然后返回到这些收藏分类，鉴定和数据库标本。分布和生活史数据，以及基于网络和标准出版的识别工具将提供给所有生物学家。这些属的专题修订和鉴定标本的工具将允许非系统学家鉴定这些分类群，并从生态和历史两方面评估它们的出现。这将是一个重大的进步，为一套目前完全无法用于研究。该项目整合研究生和本科生通过培训他们在实地研究，标本收集，准备，昆虫形态学，序列获取，数据收集和昆虫遗传学分析。本科生将获得在实验室设施和博物馆收藏工作的经验，并将学习基本的识别和昆虫形态学。研究生将完全融入昆虫研究、标本采集、解剖、形态和序列分析以及网络资源的开发和实施。

This project will develop a classification and monographically revisespecies and higher-level groups of a tribe of beetles distributed inAustralia, and the Americas. Over 100 new species are expected to bedescribed in these taxa. The study will combine morphological andmolecular analysis to produce taxonomic hypotheses, generic and species(re)descriptions and diagnoses, full illustrations for internal/externalfeatures, species range maps, habitat data, identification keys forgenera and species in both internet/CD based and traditional printedforms, internet accessible specimen data and genus/species web pages.All Australian loxandrine species will be revised and described andtools for identification will be provided for non-specialist. This groupof beetles will then be available for consideration in conservationplanning.The focus taxa of this study are a group of Australian Carabid beetlesand this work will be the first major carabid clade in Australia toundergo cladistic analysis and modern classification. Australia isessential to our understanding of worldwide distribution patterns andthese beetles are a good model taxon for such studies. In terms ofevolutionary significance, this study will investigate reproductivebiology and predator avoidance by chemical defense. Using thephylogenetic hypothesis and ecological information, the history of howdefensive compound changes have occurred in this lineage will be broughtto light.This revisionary syntheses in systematics proposal for loxandrinecarabid beetles will bring together data for specimens from majorcollections worldwide and then return to these collections sorted,identified and databased specimens. Distributional and life historydata, and web-based and standard published tools for identification willbe made available to all biologists. Monographic revision of thesegenera and the tools to identify specimens will allow non-systematist toidentify these taxa and assess their occurrence in both ecological andhistorical terms. This will be a significant advance for a set of taxapresently completely unavailable for study.The project integrates graduate and undergraduate students throughout bytraining them in field studies, specimen collection, preparation, insectmorphology, sequence acquisition, data collection and phylogeneticanalyses. Undergraduates will gain experience working in laboratoryfacilities and museum collections and will learn basic identificationand insect morphology. Graduate students will be fully integrated intomuseum research, specimen collection, dissection, morphological andsequence analyses and development and implementation of web resources.