Phylogeny of Apidae (Hymenoptera) with an emphasis on the evolution and antiquity of eusociality

蜜蜂家族由近6000种蜜蜂组成(约占世界蜜蜂总数的35%)，包括各种不同的社会形态，包括独居和共生的兰花蜜蜂(Euglossini)、原始的共生大黄蜂(Bombini)、高级共生蜜蜂(Apini)和无刺蜜蜂(Meliponini)。要了解蜜蜂社会行为的进化史，需要在部落和属的水平上进行系统发育。然而，目前对这一群体的系统发展缺乏明确的了解，因为不同的数据集提供了高度相互矛盾的结果。形态数据和化石记录似乎表明，高级共济的起源是单一的(生殖分工、重叠的世代和对幼崽的合作照顾)，而多个分子研究则支持高级共济的双重起源。该项目将结合来自形态、化石记录和用新的454生命科学测序技术产生的大分子数据集的数据，以解决先前研究获得的相互矛盾的结果。这项研究将允许重新评估形态数据，并对来自多米尼加、波罗的海和北美琥珀矿藏的蜜蜂化石进行重新检查。化石数据和DNA序列数据的结合将允许应用松弛时钟测年方法来估计蜜蜂的年龄和真文明的年龄。该项目将导致对蜜蜂家族的分类进行修订，并提高对蜜蜂进化史的理解。蜜蜂是自然界生物多样性的重要组成部分，对人类农业系统的授粉至关重要。这些群居昆虫在世界面临的生物多样性挑战中处于危险之中，该项目将培训更多类型的科学家，以了解风险的程度以及应对此类挑战的潜在解决方案。该项目将把传统上代表性不足的群体纳入研究，并与几所大学和博物馆建立伙伴关系，向公众提供强有力的宣传。该项目将促进系统学家的教育，并为理解对人类社会具有重要实践意义的独特昆虫群体提供基本知识。

The bee family Apidae comprises nearly 6000 described species (~35% of the bees in the world), including a diverse array of social forms, including solitary and communal orchid bees (Euglossini), the primitively eusocial bumble bees (Bombini), the advanced eusocial honey bees (Apini), and the stingless bees (Meliponini). Understanding the evolutionary history of social behavior in apid bees requires a phylogeny at the tribal and generic levels. However, currently a clear understanding of the phylogeny of this group is lacking because different data sets provide highly conflicting results. Morphological data and the fossil record appear to suggest a single origin of advanced eusociality (reproductive division of labor, overlapping generations, and cooperative care of young), while multiple molecular studies have supported dual origins of advanced eusociality. This project will combine data from morphology, the fossil record, and large molecular data sets generated with novel 454 Lifesciences sequencing technology to resolve the conflicting results obtained by previous studies. The research will allow a re-assessment of the morphological data, and are-examination of apid fossils from Dominican, Baltic, and North American amber deposits. The combination of fossil data and DNA sequence data will allow application of relaxed-clock dating methods to estimate the antiquity of the apid bees and the antiquity of eusociality. The project will lead to a revised classification for the family and improved understanding of the evolutionary history of bees. Bees are vital biodiversity components of the natural world and are critically important for pollination in human agrarian systems. These social insects are at risk in the biodiversity challenges facing the world, and the project will train more of the kinds of scientists needed to understand the extent of the risks as well as potential solutions for such challenges. The project will include traditionally underrepresented groups in the research, and partnerships with several universities and museums will provide a strong outreach to the general public. The project will facilitate education of systematists and provide basic knowledge for understanding a unique group of insects that are of great practical importance to human society.