PEET: The Diplopoda: Systematics Research, Training and Tools

双足纲，千足类，是一个物种丰富的群体（超过7000种被描述的物种），是现存最古老的陆生节肢动物之一。尽管有大量已知的多样性、公认的生态重要性和有趣的进化史，但这个群体在很大程度上仍未被研究。根据已知的地方性程度，目前的估计表明，今天地球上现存的物种可能多达8万种。这里总结的项目是以前的合作伙伴关系加强分类学专业知识（PEET）培训计划的延续，以开发新的千足虫分类学和系统学专业知识。研究人员Petra Sierwald（菲尔德自然历史博物馆）、Jason Bond（东卡罗莱纳大学）和William Shear（汉普顿-悉尼学院）建议利用之前PEET奖获得的见解，维持现有的千足虫研究和学生培训计划。预期的主要项目产品是发表在原始文献中的进化和分类研究，网络传播工具（例如分类识别密钥）以帮助其他非专业研究人员，获取保存在自然历史收藏中的标本，以及全球物种目录，这是第一个涵盖两个多世纪的千足虫分类文献的物种目录。最重要的是，这个项目的目标是建立一个由知识渊博、训练有素的研究人员组成的可持续社区，研究这一重要的生物群体。该目标将通过培养至少3名博士后、2名研究生和至少6名本科生实习生实现。实习生项目包括对双足动物进行广泛的系统发育评估，以及对至少三个不同目的千足动物群体进行分类和系统研究。简而言之，该项目旨在通过培训下一代千足虫系统学家，为科学和教育做出重大贡献。在博物馆（自然历史收藏）和大学环境中，学员将获得方法和技能，为他们将来担任生物学和昆虫学的研究人员、教师和资源管理人员做好准备。在这5年的研究中，千足虫系统发育结构的改进、分类学的修订和方法的进步将为今后的系统工作者提供良好的基础。

The class Diplopoda, the millipedes, is a very species-rich group (over 7,000 described species) that is among the most ancient of surviving terrestrial arthropods. Despite this tremendous amount of known diversity, recognized ecological importance, and interesting evolutionary history, the group remains largely unstudied. Current estimates based on known degrees of endemism suggest that there may be as many as 80,000 extant species on the planet today. The project summarized here is a continuation of a previous Partnership for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET) training program to develop new millipede taxonomy and systematics expertise. The investigators Petra Sierwald (The Field Museum of Natural History), Jason Bond (East Carolina University) and William Shear (Hampden-Sydney College) propose to maintain an established program of millipede research and student training by capitalizing on the insights achieved from the previous PEET award. Major project products anticipated are evolutionary and taxonomic studies published in the primary literature, web disseminated tools (e.g. taxonomic identification keys) to aid other non-specialist researchers, acquisition of specimens to be deposited in natural history collections, and a worldwide species catalog, the first of its kind encapsulating the millipede taxonomic literature spanning over two centuries.Foremost, the goal of this project is to develop a sustainable community of knowledgeable, trained researchers working on this important group of organisms. This goal will be achieved by training at least three postdoctoral researchers, two graduate students, and at least six undergraduate interns. Trainee projects include a broad phylogenetic assessment of the Diplopoda and taxonomic and systematics studies of millipede groups chosen from across at least three separate orders. In short this project aims to make significant contributions to science and education by training the next generation of millipede systematists. In both a Museum (natural history collections) and University environment, trainees will acquire methods and skills that will prepare them for future positions as researchers, teachers, and resource managers in biology and entomology. In terms of millipedes, the improved phylogenetic structure, taxonomic revisions, and methodological advances attained over the course of this 5-year project will provide a sound foundation for future systematic workers.