| Grant number: | 11/09477-9 |
| Support Opportunities: | Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants |
| Start date: | November 01, 2012 |
| End date: | October 31, 2016 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups |
| Principal Investigator: | Eduardo Andrade Botelho de Almeida |
| Grantee: | Eduardo Andrade Botelho de Almeida |
| Host Institution: | Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil |
| City of the host institution: | Ribeirão Preto |
| Associated scholarship(s): | 15/15347-1 - Phylogenetic relationships and comparative internal morphology of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila),
BP.DR 13/25936-9 - Comparative phylogeography of two neotropical pollinating fig wasp species, BP.PD 12/24335-9 - Wing morphology of Neopasiphaeinae bees: Comparisons betweenntraditional and morphometric methods for a phylogenetic investigation of form, BP.IC |
Abstract
Neopasiphaeinae comprises about 420 species, distributed in the Neotropical and Australian Regions. This subfamily is morphologically diverse and it is known for its specialization in host-plant associations, making this group of bees very attractive from the ecological-evolutionary point of view. Regrettably, limitations in our understanding of the phylogenetic relationships among its genera, and additional problems of their taxonomy and systematics hinder further advances in the research of Neopasiphaeinae. The main goal of this project is to make progress on the understanding of phylogenetic relationships within Neopasiphaeinae, which will be investigated using a combination of morphological and molecular data. The proposed taxon-sampling will include a set of at least 67 terminal species, comprising representatives of all 26 Neotropical neopasiphaeine genera, as well as 10 Australian genera. Outgroup taxa will include representatives of the colletid subfamilies Callomelittinae, Colletinae, and Diphaglossinae, in addition to two species of Stenotritidae. Detailed anatomical work of adults, including male and female terminalia, and internal skeletal features will be the basis for the preparation of a morphological data-matrix. The molecular component of the dataset will include DNA sequences of three nuclear and one mitochondrial gene-loci (Elongation Factor 1-alpha [EF-1a F2], LW-Rhodopsin, and 28S rRNA), plus one mitochondrial gene (the region of Citochrome Oxidase 1 [COI] sampled for the Bee Barcode of Life Initiative "Bee-BOL"). These genes include a combination of regions with distinct substitution rates, which have been very useful to phylogenetic studies pursued with bees and other insects. Phylogenetic results will allow for the following specific goals to be sought: (1) re-evaluation of the taxonomy of Neopasiphaeinae and the limits of its component genera, as well as taxonomic revisions of four Neotropical genera; (2) biogeographic inferences on the history of Neopasiphaeinae; (3) assessment of absolute ages of divergence (molecular dating) for the lineages comprised in the subfamily; (4) investigation of morphological evolution of neopasiphaeine bees and possible relationships to their host-plant shifts through time; (5) devising of integrative macroevolutionary scenarios to explain the aspects of the history of Neopasiphaeinae and its importance to the assembly of the Neotropical bee community through the Cenozoic. Furthermore, an important outcome of this project will be the beginning of a research group of insect molecular systematics at the Biology Department, where this research will be conducted. This novel approach will be pursued concurrently with the strengthening of fields that have a long-term tradition at the institution, particularly comparative morphology and taxonomy, in addition to the expansion of Coleção Camargo in terms of its geographic as well as taxonomic representativeness. (AU)
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