DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Integrating morphology, molecules and information technology for the taxonomic revision of Signiphoridae (Hymenoptera)

这项拨款是为了改进一科寄生蜂的分类修订，Signiphoridae （chalcido总科），它是蚧虫、粉蚧、木虱和苍蝇的天敌。该项目是基于对世界各地收集的材料的比较研究。将对物种进行分类并描述新种（至少25种新种）。进化关系将从形态学和分子数据推断，使用最先进的分析方法。该奖项还将用于开发工具，以管理产生的大量数据（标本信息、描述、图像、DNA序列），为公开交付做准备，并访问两个机构，这些机构拥有来自巴西大草原（塞拉多）、大西洋雨林和亚马逊的宝贵材料。除了显著提高研究的深度外，这项资助还为研究生提供了三个领域的培训（比较形态学、分子研究和生物信息学），这对21世纪的分类学家来说是必不可少的。分类学家的培训很重要，因为这类专业人员越来越稀缺。本研究将促进这些昆虫在害虫防治中的应用，为其他科学家提供分类工具，为本科生工作者提供机会，并有助于对新大陆热带动物群的认识。

This grant is for the improvement of the taxonomic revision of a family of parasitic wasps, Signiphoridae (Chalcidoidea), which are natural enemies of scale insects, mealybugs, psyllids, and flies. The project is based on a comparative study of material collected worldwide. The species will be classified and new species will be described (at least 25 new species). Evolutionary relationships will be inferred from morphological and molecular data, using state-of-the-art analytical methods. The award will also be used to develop tools to manage the large amounts of data produced (specimen information, descriptions, images, DNA sequences), prepare it for public delivery, and to visit two institutions with valuable material from the Brazilian savannah (cerrado), Atlantic Rainforest, and Amazon.Besides enhancing significantly the depth of the study, this grant provides training for a graduate student in three areas (comparative morphology, molecular studies and bioinformatics) which are essential to taxonomists in the 21st Century. Training of taxonomists is important given the increasing scarcity of such professionals. This study will facilitate the use of these insects in the control of insect pests, provide tools to other scientists in taxonomy, provide opportunity for undergraduate student workers, and contribute to the knowledge of the fauna of the New World tropics.