Collaborative Research: Phylogenetic reclassification and generic revision of the rove beetle tribe Staphylinini (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

University Of Tennessee Chattanooga, Chattanooga TN

Investigators

Abstract

The rove beetle tribe Staphylinini is a mega-diverse group of insects, with more than 5,300 species worldwide. These often conspicuous beetles, frequently used in environmental studies, are an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, but their current classification is outdated, hampering further exploration of this group. Incorporating morphological data, DNA, and fossils, this project will provide a genus-level revision of the tribe, its phylogenetic system, online identification keys, and species catalogs for all genera. Such tools will enable a much broader use of these invertebrates in biodiversity studies. All results will be disseminated by Internet-based publications. Popular publications in broad outreach media generated by this project will increase public awareness of the role and abundance of rove beetles in nature. Planned workshops on the methods of study of Staphylinini applicable to an overall soil invertebrate fauna will be presented by the investigators during fieldwork in several countries, will contribute to the research infrastructure of those biodiversity hotspots. This project will enhance collaboration among the Field Museum, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, the University of Kansas, the Natural History Museum of Denmark, and several other institutions worldwide; and will provide unique learning opportunities for several undergraduate and high school students in the United States and other countries.