Below is a form that will help organize the specimens to be used in my study.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Scientific References
Below are citations to five scientific references that have to do with my research. Following each reference is a little bit about what is found in the paper and why it is relevant to my research.
1. Ahrens, D., M. T. Monaghan, and A. P. Vogler. 2007. DNA-based taxonomy for associating adults and larvae in multi-species assemblages of chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 44(1):436-449.
This and other similar papers by Dr. Ahrens provide a good look at the use of DNA sequencing in scarab beetles. As I plan to combined morphological and molecular techniques in my phylogenetic analysis, the methods used in this paper will be a very valuable place to look for ideas.
2. Coca-Abia, M. M. 2007. Phylogenetic relationships of the subfamily Melolonthinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Insect Syst. Evol. 38:447-472.
This paper contains a morphological phylogenetic analysis of another group of scarab beetles and, like the Ahrens paper above, provides good insights into the methods I should use for my own analysis.
3. Jameson, M. L., B. C. Ratcliffe, and V Maly. 2002. Review of the genus Acrobolbia with remarks on its classification, and a key to the world genera of Cyclocephalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). Folia Heyrovskyana 10(1):1-15.
In this paper the genus Acrobolbia is placed in the tribe. Will my research confirm that this is the proper placement? The paper also provides the most recent key to the genera of the tribe.
4. Ratcliffe, B. C. and R. D. Cave. 2009. New species of Cyclocephala Dejean, 1821 from Guatemala. The Coleopterists Bulletin 63(3):325-332.
Two new species of Cyclocephala are described in this paper. It is important because, at least as far as I am aware, it is the most recent taxonomically-based publication relating to the genus Cyclocephala, by far the largest genus in the tribe Cyclocphalini.
5. Smith, A. B. T. 2006. A review of the family-group names for the superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) with corrections to nomenclature and a current classification. p. 144–204. In: M. L. Jameson and B. C. Ratcliffe (editors). Scarabaeoidea in the 21st century: a festschrift honoring Henry F. Howden.
Coleopterists Society Monograph Number 5. 213 p.
Although as its title suggests it is merely a review of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea, this paper is important as it officially places the genus Peltonotus Burmeister, 1847 into the tribe Cyclocephalini. Like Acrobolbia, will my research confirm this placement? Note, however, that this placement comes after the most recent tribe key (Jameson et al. 2002) meaning there currently is no key that includes all 15 genera of the tribe.
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Below are 5 more references of interest to my research, but without any descriptions.
1. Jameson, M. L. and K. Wada. 2004. Revision of the genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) from Southeastern Asia. Zootaxa 502: 1–66.
2. Jameson, M. L. and S. Jakl. 2010. Synopsis of the aroid scarabs in the genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae, Cyclocephalini) from Sumatra and description of a new species. ZooKeys 34: 141-152.
3. Joly, L. J. 2000. A new species of Cyclocephala Latreille from the Venezuelan Llanos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 54(3):333-338.
4. Ratcliffe, B. C. 1981. New species and distribution records of Surutu from Amazonian Brazil (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 35(1):107-112.
5. Ratcliffe, B. C. 1992. A new species of Ancognatha from Panama (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 46(3):256-259.
1. Ahrens, D., M. T. Monaghan, and A. P. Vogler. 2007. DNA-based taxonomy for associating adults and larvae in multi-species assemblages of chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 44(1):436-449.
This and other similar papers by Dr. Ahrens provide a good look at the use of DNA sequencing in scarab beetles. As I plan to combined morphological and molecular techniques in my phylogenetic analysis, the methods used in this paper will be a very valuable place to look for ideas.
2. Coca-Abia, M. M. 2007. Phylogenetic relationships of the subfamily Melolonthinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Insect Syst. Evol. 38:447-472.
This paper contains a morphological phylogenetic analysis of another group of scarab beetles and, like the Ahrens paper above, provides good insights into the methods I should use for my own analysis.
3. Jameson, M. L., B. C. Ratcliffe, and V Maly. 2002. Review of the genus Acrobolbia with remarks on its classification, and a key to the world genera of Cyclocephalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). Folia Heyrovskyana 10(1):1-15.
In this paper the genus Acrobolbia is placed in the tribe. Will my research confirm that this is the proper placement? The paper also provides the most recent key to the genera of the tribe.
4. Ratcliffe, B. C. and R. D. Cave. 2009. New species of Cyclocephala Dejean, 1821 from Guatemala. The Coleopterists Bulletin 63(3):325-332.
Two new species of Cyclocephala are described in this paper. It is important because, at least as far as I am aware, it is the most recent taxonomically-based publication relating to the genus Cyclocephala, by far the largest genus in the tribe Cyclocphalini.
5. Smith, A. B. T. 2006. A review of the family-group names for the superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) with corrections to nomenclature and a current classification. p. 144–204. In: M. L. Jameson and B. C. Ratcliffe (editors). Scarabaeoidea in the 21st century: a festschrift honoring Henry F. Howden.
Coleopterists Society Monograph Number 5. 213 p.
Although as its title suggests it is merely a review of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea, this paper is important as it officially places the genus Peltonotus Burmeister, 1847 into the tribe Cyclocephalini. Like Acrobolbia, will my research confirm this placement? Note, however, that this placement comes after the most recent tribe key (Jameson et al. 2002) meaning there currently is no key that includes all 15 genera of the tribe.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below are 5 more references of interest to my research, but without any descriptions.
1. Jameson, M. L. and K. Wada. 2004. Revision of the genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) from Southeastern Asia. Zootaxa 502: 1–66.
2. Jameson, M. L. and S. Jakl. 2010. Synopsis of the aroid scarabs in the genus Peltonotus Burmeister (Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae, Cyclocephalini) from Sumatra and description of a new species. ZooKeys 34: 141-152.
3. Joly, L. J. 2000. A new species of Cyclocephala Latreille from the Venezuelan Llanos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 54(3):333-338.
4. Ratcliffe, B. C. 1981. New species and distribution records of Surutu from Amazonian Brazil (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 35(1):107-112.
5. Ratcliffe, B. C. 1992. A new species of Ancognatha from Panama (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 46(3):256-259.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Phylogeny
The tribe Cyclocephalini has never been closely looked at in a phylogenetic way. This image is part of a preliminary, unpublished molecular phylogenetic analysis done by Team Scarab at the University of Nebraska State Museum. They were looking at the family Scarabaeidae as a whole. Here I have cut out the section that includes Cyclocephalines. I don't know how many of you know much about phylogeny, but think of it as a kind of family tree. The closer the branches of two organisms, the more closely they are related, evolutionarily speaking.
On the upper branch, the genera Tomarus, Euetheola, and Oxygrilius are not part of the tribe Cyclocephalini, but as you can see, they are intermixed with several genera that are. The tree as a whole is a mess (see how many places the genus Cyclocephala shows up). That is why there is great need for a closer and more proper phylogenetic study
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