Explosive Radiation, Extreme Phenotypic Diversity and the Evolution of Morphotypes within Ant Nest Beetles

亚利桑那大学的研究人员将利用蚂蚁甲虫(Paussus属)的分子系统发育、形态和生态数据，在两个分类尺度上探索奇怪表型特征的进化和宿主蚂蚁在地理景观中的迁移。这个项目调查了这一群体中假定的“重复的适应性辐射”，这是一种罕见的现象，即地理上分离的谱系由表现出相同集合的一致进化的表型和生态位的物种组成。该项目包括正式和非正式的教育和培训部分，包括在进化生物学、昆虫系统学、分类学和鉴定以及生物地理学领域的博士后、研究生和本科生培训。它将有助于使来自美国、意大利、斯里兰卡和印度的青年科学家和学生之间的合作正规化。将在这些国家举办甲虫鉴定讲习班，学员和教职员工将参与其中，涵盖现代甲虫分类、形态、收集和鉴定资源。研究人员将制作在线教程，清楚地展示物种辐射和趋同进化的例子，这些例子将立即为公众所理解。

Researchers from the University of Arizona will use molecular phylogenetic, morphological and ecological data within Ant Nest Beetles (genus Paussus) to explore the evolution of bizarre phenotypic traits and host ant shifts across geographic landscapes at two taxonomic scales. This project investigates putative "replicated adaptive radiations" within this group, a rare phenomenon in which geographically separated lineages are composed of species exhibiting the same sets of convergently evolved phenotypes and ecological niches. It also will provide a framework to investigate the drivers, stages, and relative rates of phyletic and phenotypic change within an adaptive radiation.This project includes formal and informal education and training components, including postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate training in the areas of evolutionary biology, insect systematics, taxonomy and identification, and biogeography. It will help to formalize collaborations between young scientists and students from the United States, Italy, Sri Lanka and India. Beetle identification workshops, involving up-and-coming students and faculty, will be offered in these countries covering modern beetle classification, morphology, collection, and identification resources. Researchers will generate online tutorials that clearly demonstrate examples of species radiation and convergent evolution that will be immediately understandable by the public.