Collaborative Research: Systematics and Adaptation of the Thaliacea (Tunicata): A Genetic and Morphological Study

合作研究：海囊纲（Tunicata）的系统学和适应：遗传和形态学研究

• 批准号: 0551326
• 负责人: Ann Bucklin
• 金额: $ 15.76万
• 依托单位: University of Connecticut
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-04-15 至 2009-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0551326&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Systematics; Adaptation; Thaliacea

The Thaliacea is a class of Tunicata comprising three groups of pelagic tunicates, the Pyrosomida, Doliolida and Salpida. All are free-swimming holoplanktonic organisms with complex life histories and prodigious capabilities as filter-feeding herbivores in the plankton. These three orders have worldwide distributions yet together number fewer than 100 described species. In some cases phenotypic variability has confused prior efforts at systematic classification and left open the possibility of cryptic species among many seemingly cosmopolitan forms. Existing classifications and phylogenies are all based on a limited number of morphological characters, which have been inadequate to resolve many questions about relationships at the genus and species level. Preliminary genetic evidence suggests that the Thaliacea are monophyletic within the Tunicata andthat salps, doliolids and pyrosomes are well-constrained monophyletic orders. However relationships below the ordinal are unclear, with some conflicts already arising between classical and molecular trees. Despite their global distribution and apparent ecological significance there arefew scientists today working on any aspect of Thaliacean biology. Partly this may be due to the difficulty for non-specialists in identifying species, particularly as specimens are often damaged in collection. This project brings together two molecular zoologists and one expert in Thaliacean ecology and life history. The research team will seek to reconcile morphological and genetic data to develop a phylogeny for the Thaliacea, based on data from as many of the described species as can be obtained, probably at least 70%. Because these groups are fairly small, this is a feasible goal, and will enable not only a well-supported consensus phylogeny and classification, but also a monographic treatment of the Class that will be useful for species identification by nonexperts. Broader impacts of the proposed research include the contribution of results to the global Census of Marine Zooplankton and the provision of a practical identification guide to Thaliacea for biological oceanographers. The project will support a postdoctoral investigator at WHOI and involve undergraduate students at the University of Connecticut. Project objectives and results will be made widely available via one or more websites hosted at WHOI or the University of Connecticut.

丘脑科是一类包含三组上层外膜的肌肉肌，pyrosomida，doliolida和salpida。所有这些都是自由泳式全兰克顿的生物，具有复杂的生活史和巨大的能力，作为浮游生物中的食草动物的过滤食物。这三个订单在全球范围内分布，但少于100种描述的物种的数字。在某些情况下，表型变异性使先前在系统分类方面的努力感到困惑，并在许多看似国际化的形式中打开了隐性物种的可能性。现有的分类和系统发育均基于有限数量的形态特征，这些特征不足以解决有关该属和物种水平上关系的许多问题。初步的遗传证据表明，丘中酸是单一的，在女犬肌中是单一的，而sal，doliolids和pyrosomes是受约束的单系阶。但是，序数下方的关系尚不清楚，经典树木和分子树之间已经出现了一些冲突。尽管它们具有全球分布和明显的生态意义，但如今，科学家们仍在研究甲壳虫生物学的任何方面。部分原因可能是由于非专家在识别物种方面的困难，尤其是在集合中经常损坏标本时。该项目汇集了两名分子动物学家，以及一名硫雄生态和生活史上的专家。研究小组将根据来自尽可能多的描述物种的数据来调和形态学和遗传数据，以对甲前科开发系统发育，可能至少至少70％。因为这些群体相当小，所以这是一个可行的目标，不仅可以实现良好的共识系统发育和分类，而且还可以实现该类别的专着待遇，这对于非秘书的物种鉴定都将有用。拟议研究的更广泛的影响包括结果对海洋浮游动物的全球人口普查的贡献以及为生物海洋学家提供丘里西亚的实用鉴定指南。该项目将支持WHOI的博士后调查员，并与康涅狄格大学的本科生有关。项目目标和结果将通过在WHOI或康涅狄格大学托管的一个或多个网站广泛获得。