Discovering a New Insect Order in Papua New Guinea: SGER Proposal

Brigham Young University, Provo UT

Investigators

Abstract

In 2001 an unusual insect from Papua New Guinea was discovered that potentially represents a major unrecognized branch of the Insect Tree of Life. NSF funding will allow the PI to launch an expedition to Papua New Guinea to collect additional specimens, to document behavior, biology, and distribution, and to determine the conservation status of this new group. The DNA and morphology of these specimens will be analyzed to place it in the Insect Tree of Life and validate its status as a new insect Order. While entomologists routinely discover new insect species, it has been nearly a century since what is unambiguously a new insect Order has been described. This new insect may play a pivotal role in deciphering patterns of insect diversification and provide insight into how complex social caste systems developed. The work has a broader impact by including undergraduate students in all stages of the discovery process. Four undergraduates, including two Native Pacific Islanders, will participate in the fieldwork, lab work, data analysis, and in the description of this new insect Order. By involving these students in an exciting scientific discovery, the PI will be paving the way for their future long-term participation in science.