CAREER: Phylogeny of the Siphonaptera of the World

Brigham Young University, Provo UT

Investigators

Abstract

9983195 Whiting Fleas comprise a relatively small holometabolous insect order (Siphonaptera) of about 2380 species which are associated with bird and mammal hosts. The phylogenetic relationships among flea families are virtually unknown and have remained perplexing. The purpose of the research component of this proposal is to determine phylogenetic relationships of Siphonaptera at the familial and generic levels. This will be accomplished by compiling morphological and DNA sequence data for a large representation of fleas and related taxa, then subjecting these data to rigorous phylogenetic analysis. Once the phylogeny is in place, the current classification of fleas will be evaluated and the pattern of mammal-bird host shifts during flea evolution will be investigated. The purpose of the education component of this proposal is to provide a basic systematics education to a wide range of undergraduate students, and to furnish significant research experiences to those most interested in systematics and evolutionary biology. Students will be given opportunities for field work, collection-based research (e.g., documenting flea morphology), lab-based research (e.g., DNA sequencing), and computation based-research (e.g., phylogenetic analysis). The focus will be on developing research and analytical skills in undergraduate students, which are necessary for successful careers in evolutionary biology. The education experience culminates in a Utah State Systematics symposium where the students present their research and have the opportunity to interact with peers from other institutions and concludes with students preparing a manuscript for publication. This project will provide much needed information on flea phylogeny, facilitate the training of students in systematics, and help spawn interest in flea systematics, an field sorely in need of young specialists.