Office of Research, UC Riverside
Christiane Weirauch
Professor of Entomology
Entomology Dept
christiw@ucr.edu
(951) 827-5707


ARTS: Litter Bugs ? revisionary and phylogenetic research on the least studied True Bug infraorder (Insecta: Hemiptera: Dipsocoromorpha)

AWARD NUMBER
006317-006
FUND NUMBER
21256
STATUS
Closed
AWARD TYPE
3-Grant
AWARD EXECUTION DATE
6/9/2015
BEGIN DATE
7/1/2013
END DATE
6/30/2016
AWARD AMOUNT
$2,000

Sponsor Information

SPONSOR AWARD NUMBER
DEB-1257702
SPONSOR
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
SPONSOR TYPE
Federal
FUNCTION
Organized Research
PROGRAM NAME

Proposal Information

PROPOSAL NUMBER
12064744
PROPOSAL TYPE
New
ACTIVITY TYPE
Applied Research

PI Information

PI
Weirauch, Christiane
PI TITLE
Other
PI DEPTARTMENT
Entomology
PI COLLEGE/SCHOOL
College of Nat & Agr Sciences
CO PIs

Project Information

ABSTRACT

Museums house an untapped wealth of biodiversity in their unsorted shelf collections of samples from around the world. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, together with an international team of collaborators, will investigate the biodiversity of "Litter Bugs" (true bug infraorder Dipsocoromorpha). These insects are tiny, inhabit cryptic microhabitats, and show highest species diversity in the tropics. Using trap samples already housed in museums combined with some additional fieldwork, the team will build the largest and best-curated collection of Dipsocoromorpha in the world. Integrative taxonomic revisions will reveal the true diversity of selected groups. The phylogeny of this group of insects will be investigated using morphological and molecular approaches, resulting in a new taxonomic classification.

Litter bugs feature remarkable differences among the sexes, including hardened forewings (a trait that is rare outside the beetles), and stunningly complex terminalia. The phylogenetic foundations created during this project will lead to a greater understanding of the evolution of these unique features. Biodiversity information for these insects will become available through publications and cybertaxonomic tools, most importantly an online "Virtual Collection of Dipsocoromorpha". Two graduate students and several undergraduate students will be trained in modern systematic methods and knowledge transfer and collaborations fostered among the community of insect researchers.
(Abstract from NSF)