PEET: Enhancing Taxonomy In The Cestoda: Monography Of Selected Tetraphyllidean Groups

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

0118882 Caira and Ruhnke This is a collaboration between the University of Connecticut and West Virginia State College. The research efforts of this project will focus on the generation of taxonomic monographs for four of the largest groups in the most diverse order of tapeworms that parasitize sharks and rays, the Tetraphyllidea. The monographic research will involve examination of museum specimens throughout the world. Collections of new tapeworms will be made from geographic regions previously unexplored for tetraphyllideans including Senegal, Madagascar and Western Australia. In addition to morphological data from light and scanning electron microscopy, the monographs will include complete illustrations and information on geographic distributions and evolutionary relationships of each group. This work will be complemented by evolutionary trees generated using molecular sequence information in collaboration with Dr. Tim Littlewood at the British Museum of Natural History, London. The tapeworm database developed as a result of an initial PEET award will be expanded to include complete data on all species in the four target groups of Tetraphyllidea. This database will also be expanded to treat representatives of other tapeworm groups in cooperation with individuals from around the world expert on the taxonomy of the non-tetraphyllidean tapeworm groups. These experts will be familiarized with the database at a workshop to be held at the University of Connecticut in the first year of the project and will be assisted by participants in this project with data entry on their respective groups. The training components of this project will involve a minimum of two Ph.D students, one of which has already been identified, as well as a number of masters-level and undergraduate students. These students will be involved with all aspects of the project including taxonomy and systematics of tetraphyllidean tapeworms, museum work, field collections, light and scanning electron microscopy and databasing. The PI, Co-PI and two Ph.D. students will each have responsibility for one of the monographs. The tetraphyllidean tapeworms remain among the most poorly known, but most host specific and morphologically spectacular of the tapeworm orders. Their enormous potential as indicators of shark and ray biology remains under-explored. This project will train the next generation of tetraphyllidean tapeworm taxonomic experts. Taxonomic information on all tapeworm groups will be made easily accessible through the internet. Finally, this project will serve to centralize taxonomic information on tapeworms in general, making it available globally.