Collaborative Research: Phylogenetics and Key Innovations in Labroid Fishes

本研究将重点关注唇形鱼类的进化和多样性，包括慈鲷、唇形鱼（濑鱼和鹦嘴鱼）、豆娘鱼（豆娘鱼）和embiotoids（浮鲈）。它们有3000多种，是最成功、最多样化的硬骨鱼群之一。假设将测试在这些鱼类咽颌中发现的主要创新对物种形成率，形态多样性和生态多样性的影响。这项研究有两个主要组成部分。将获得9个基因和650个物种的DNA序列，以确定唇形鱼与其他鱼类之间的系统发育关系。由此产生的系统发育树将被用作比较具有改良咽颌的群体和缺乏专门化的近亲之间多样性的基础。这项研究的主要贡献将是提高我们对功能设计突破如何影响谱系进化成功的理解。在硬骨鱼生命之树中最不为人所知的分支之一的进化关系中，将获得新的见解。为2名博士后研究员和1名研究生提供培训和指导。本研究将为本科生和研究生课程开发教学模块。将发展一个本科实习计划，招收来自弱势背景的学生参加本项目提供的研究机会。

This research will focus on the evolution and diversity of labroid fishes - including cichlids, labrids (wrasses and parrotfish), pomacentrids (damselfishes) and embiotocids (surfperch). At over 3,000 species, these are among the most successful and diverse groups of bony fishes. Hypotheses will be tested about the effect of major innovations found in the pharyngeal jaws of these fishes on speciation rate, morphological diversity, and ecological diversity. The research has two major components. DNA sequence from 9 genes and 650 species will be obtained to determine the phylogenetic relationships between labroids and other fishes. The resulting phylogenetic trees will be used as the basis for making comparisons of diversity between groups that possess the modified pharyngeal jaw, and close relatives that lack the specialization.The major contribution of this research will be to improve our understanding of how breakthroughs in functional design impact the evolutionary success of lineages. New insights will be gained into evolutionary relationships within one of the least understood branches of the bony-fish tree of life. Training and mentoring will be provided for two post-doctoral researchers and one graduate student. Teaching modules will be developed from this research for undergraduate and graduate courses. An undergraduate internship program will be developed to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds into research opportunities provided by this project.