Collaborative Proposal: Phylogeny of the Bat Flies of the World - Insights into Trends in Host Associations and Ectoparasitism

蝙蝠蝇是一种小型但多样的高度专业化的吸血双翅目昆虫，是蝙蝠的专性寄生虫。 它们大大偏离了一般的苍蝇身体计划，为进化研究提供了独特的机会。 蝙蝠蝇的分类是在一个不稳定的状态，从来没有经过严格的系统发育假说的测试。这个合作，跨学科的研究和培训项目将组装分子和形态学数据，以回答有关蝙蝠苍蝇及其宿主协会的进化悬而未决的问题。形态学和生态学方面的这个系统将进行调查，跟踪外寄生适应的演变，通过时间和跨linages。该项目代表了第一个全面的，基于遗传学的蝙蝠苍蝇及其亲属的调查，并将提高我们对昆虫寄生进化的理解。 研究结果将在科学期刊上、通过一个有数字图像库和生态信息的网站、通过形态库图书馆和基因库传播。这些数据将被纳入NSF FLY生命之树计划。 该项目还补充和支持了美国国家科学基金会资助的自然历史博物馆的蝙蝠苍蝇收藏。最后，与庞塞的波多黎各大学合作，一个名为“真实的实验”的三个模块的研究课程将使学生参与跨学科的科学研究。

Bat flies constitute a small but diverse group of highly specialized bloodsucking Diptera that are obligate parasites of bats. They deviate dramatically from the general fly body plan, offering unique opportunities for evolutionary studies. Bat fly classification is in a precarious state, never having been tested under stringent phylogenetic hypotheses. This collaborative, interdisciplinary research and training project will assemble molecular and morphological data to answer outstanding questions concerning the evolution of bat flies and their host associations. Morphological and ecological aspects of this system will be investigated to trace the evolution of ectoparasitic adaptation through time and across linages. This project represents the first comprehensive, phylogenetically-based investigation of bat flies and their relatives, and will improve our understanding of the evolution of parasitism in insects. Results will be disseminated in scientific journals, through a website with digital image galleries and ecological information, through the MorphBank Library, and through GenBank. Data will be incorporated into the NSF FLY Tree of Life initiative. This project also complements and supports the NSF funded bat fly collections at the Field Museum of Natural History. Finally, in collaboration with the Universidad de Puerto Rico, Ponce, a three-module research course called the "REAL EXPERIMENT" will engage students in interdisciplinary scientific research.