I report the results of the first detailed phylogenetic study of the ant subfamily Ponerinae, a diverse lineage whose properties make it an attractive model system for investigating social and ecological evolution in ants. Molecular sequence data were obtained from seven nuclear genes for 86 ponerine taxa, representing all three ponerine tribes, 22 of the 28 currently recognized genera, and 14 of the 18 informal subgenera of Pachycondyla, a genus strongly suspected to be non-monophyletic. Divergence dates, historical biogeography, and the origin of reproduction by gamergate workers were estimated on the inferred phylogeny. The most important results of this study include: (1) the monophyly of Ponerinae; (2) the paraphyly of Ponerini; (3) the extensive non-monophyly of Pachycondyla; (4) a rapid basal radiation in Ponerini; (5) resolution of many deeper relationships within Ponerini; (6) a rapid and rich basal radiation in the Odontomachus group; (7) an origin for Ponerinae in the upper Cretaceous, with a major burst of diversification near the K/T boundary; (8) a history of rich and continual ponerine diversification during the Cenozoic; (9) a history of regionalized radiations and frequent faunal exchange between major biogeographic provinces; and (10) support for multiple origins of gamergates in Ponerinae. Ponerine taxonomic classification is revised to reflect both these phylogenetic results and a reappraisal of ponerine morphological diversity. The monogeneric tribe Thaumatomyrmecini is newly synonymized under Ponerini, and the diverse genus Pachycondyla is fragmented into 15 genera, largely along the lines of its junior synonyms, though two new genera are erected: Buniapone (gen. nov.) and Mayaponera (gen. nov.). Some junior synonyms of Pachycondyla are transferred to junior synonym status under other genera: Wadeura as a junior synonym of Cryptopone (syn. nov.), Xiphopelta as a junior synonym of Pseudoponera (syn. nov.), and both Termitopone and Syntermitopone as junior synonyms of Neoponera (syn. nov.). Molecular and morphological justifications for these taxonomic changes are given alongside discussions of phylogenetic relationships. Keys to the world genera of Ponerinae are provided, and morphological diagnoses and species lists are given for each genus. Finally, the available information on ponerine ecology and behavior is reviewed and synthesized.

The family Syrphidae (Diptera) has around 6000 species worldwide, including many species commonly seen hovering over flowers where they feed and seek possible mates. Many of the genera mimic bees or wasps, thus sharing a similar habitus, and their identification can prove difficult without a proper identification key. To aid in the identification of Syrphidae, the first chapter of the thesis presents an online interactive photographic key to the nearctic genera of Syrphidae, richly illustrated with field and laboratory images. One of the most speciose genera of the family is Ocyptamus Macquart, 1834, with around 300 species described. Recent studies suggest that Ocyptamus is paraphyletic with regards to the genera Eosalpingogaster Hull, 1949 and Toxomerus Macquart, 1855. The second chapter addresses this paraphyly through a phylogenetic analysis, based on morphological and molecular data, of 63 species currently or previously placed in the genus Ocyptamus. A monophyletic Ocyptamus was defined on the basis of cladistic principles, six new genera (Fragosa, Hypocritanus, Maiana, Nuntianus, Relictanum and Victoriana) were proposed and 10 names (Atylobaccha, Calostigma, Hermesomyia, Hybobathus, Mimocalla, Orphnabaccha, Pelecinobaccha, Pipunculosyrphus, Pseudoscaeva and Styxia) were ressurected. The third chapter considers the clade made up of Pelecinobaccha, Relictanum and Atylobaccha, revising the genera Pelecinobaccha and Relictanum, including 24 new species, 28 synonimized names, an identification key and distribution maps.

Providing high-quality assessment feedback for learners is one of the most important activities faculty can do to positively affect learning. Recent advancements in information, communication, and multimedia technologies present opportunities for us to examine how, when, and where we provide assessment feedback. Yet, a scan of the academic research literature shows that technologies are used widely for teaching in higher education, but not necessarily for assessment. This exploratory study utilized an inductive, naturalistic inquiry approach to investigate student perceptions of receiving assessment feedback in digital multimedia format. Findings revealed that students reported positive effects on their cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning through what they perceived as regularly occurring student-faculty interaction. Although this study had a relatively small and homogeneous sample, these findings indicate that providing digital multimedia assessment feedback asynchronously, online, has the potential to enhance faculty-student interactions, while contributing to student learning, satisfaction, and motivation.

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A temporal long-term study of the population structure and dynamics of the red alga Chondrus crispus at Lilstock, Somerset (Bristol Channel), the British Isles, and an investigation of its associated green and brown endophytic algal flora were undertaken from January 1994 to September 1996. The population of C. crispus was composed of plants which consisted of a basal holdfast from which arose numerous fronds in varying stages of development, with or without reproductive fronds (cystocarps or tetrasporangial sori). Plants were found with only gametophyte (haploid) or tetrasporophyte (diploid) fronds, whereas other plants described as mixed clumps consisted of gametophyte and tetrasporophyte fronds associated with the same basal disc. New plants entered the population and others were lost throughout the study. Individual plant longevity ranged from <46 days to >927 days. The monthly gametophyteitetrasporophyte ratio did not significantly deviate from 1:1, and within the population there was a stable long-lived core of plants, with a gametophyte:tetrasporophyte ratio of 1:1. Gametophyte plants with cystocarps had a significantly greater dry mass and contained a significantly greater number of fronds than tetrasporophyte plants with sori. Significantly higher numbers of tetrasporophytes had reproductive structures (sori) than gametophyte plants (cystocarps) during summer months (namely May, June and July). Both recruitment from spores and frond regeneration from remnant basal discs played an important role in maintaining the population structure. At least 6 green algal taxa including Acrochaete heteroclada, A. operculata, A. repens, A. viridis, Enteromorpha sp(p) and Pseudoendoclonium sp., and at least one brown algal taxon assigned to the genus Streblonema were found in association with gametophyte and tetrasporophyte C. crispus plants with cystocarps and sori, respectively. Spatial distribution of these algae within host tissues ranged from epiphytic through epiendophytic to endophytic. Of the C. crispus plants collected the frequency of plants infected with endophytic algae was reported to reach 95%. Infection by brown algae was rarely found without an associated green algal infection. It is hypothesised that a self-purging natural purification process of infected C. crispus fronds helps rid the plants and population of diseased fronds. It is suggested that it is primarily through the retention of the basal discs that C. crispus is an ecologically successful species.

The North American antlion genus Paranthaclisis is comprehensively revised for the first time. Four species are recognized: P. congener (Hagen), P. floridensis Stange & Miller, P. hageni (Banks) and P. nevadensis Banks. Redescriptions, distribution maps and figures of diagnostic morphological characters are provided for adults of each species. A key to adults of Paranthaclisis is also included. Paranthaclisis californica Navas (1922) is recognized as a new synonym of P. hageni Banks. The monophyly of, and interspecific relationships within, the antlion genus Paranthaclisis, and its relationships to other genera within the tribe Acanthaclisini, are investigated using multiple datasets. Fifteen datasets were produced and analyzed to explore the effects of inference method, alignment strategy and data partitioning on phylogenetic estimates using morphological, molecular and mixed data inputs. Eighteen unordered and unweighted morphological characters were coded from across adult body regions. Molecular sequence data generated for this study consisted of two ribosomal genes, 16S and 18S. Paranthaclisis was recovered as monophyletic in analyses using 14 of 15 datasets, with low to moderate support in maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses and high support from Bayesian inference methods. A sister-group relationship between Paranthaclisis and Vella, the only other New World acanthaclisine genus, was also recovered in analysis of 13 of 15 datasets, with low to moderate support in all phylogenetic inference methods tested. Choice of phylogenetic inference method and partitioning of gene datasets had the most influence on resulting topologies and support values. Choice of alignment strategy resulted in few topological differences, but Clustal datasets generally had higher clade support values, compared to MAFFT-aligned sequences.

Opiine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Opiinae) are parasitoids of dacine fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae), the primary horticultural pests of Australia and the South Pacific. Effective use of opiines for biological control of fruit flies is limited by poor taxonomy and identification difficulties. To overcome these problems, this thesis had two aims: (i) to carry out traditional taxonomic research on the fruit fly infesting opine braconids of Australia and the South Pacific; and (ii) to transfer the results of the taxonomic research into user friendly diagnostic tools. Curated wasp material was borrowed from all major Australian museum collections holding specimens. This was supplemented by a large body of material gathered as part of a major fruit fly project in Papua New Guinea: nearly 4000 specimens were examined and identified. Each wasp species was illustrated using traditional scientific drawings, full colour photomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. An electronic identification key was developed using Lucid software and diagnostic images were loaded on the web-based Pest and Diseases Image Library (PaDIL). A taxonomic synopsis and distribution and host records for each of the 15 species of dacine-parasitising opiine braconids found in the South Pacific is presented. Biosteres illusorius Fischer (1971) was formally transferred to the genus Fopius and a new species, Fopius ferrari Carmichael and Wharton (2005), was described. Other species dealt with were Diachasmimorpha hageni (Fullaway, 1952), D. kraussii (Fullaway, 1951), D. longicaudata (Ashmead, 1905), D. tryoni (Cameron, 1911), Fopius arisanus (Sonan, 1932), F. deeralensis (Fullaway, 1950), F. schlingeri Wharton (1999), Opius froggatti Fullaway (195), Psyttalia fijiensis (Fullaway, 1936), P. muesebecki (Fischer, 1963), P. novaguineensis (Szépliget, 1900i) and Utetes perkinsi (Fullaway, 1950). This taxonomic component of the thesis has been formally published in the scientific literature. An interactive diagnostics package (“OpiineID”) was developed, the centre of which is a Lucid based multi-access key. Because the diagnostics package is computer based, without the space limitations of the journal publication, there is no pictorial limit in OpiineID and so it is comprehensively illustrated with SEM photographs, full colour photographs, line drawings and fully rendered illustrations. The identification key is only one small component of OpiineID and the key is supported by fact sheets with morphological descriptions, host associations, geographical information and images. Each species contained within the OpiineID package has also been uploaded onto the PaDIL website (www.padil.gov.au). Because the identification of fruit fly parasitoids is largely of concern to fruit fly workers, rather than braconid specialists, this thesis deals directly with an area of growing importance to many areas of pure and applied biology; the nexus between taxonomy and diagnostics. The Discussion chapter focuses on this area, particularly the opportunities offered by new communication and information tools as new ways delivering the outputs of taxonomic science.

The diversity of New Zealand and Australian asellote isopods remains largely unknown. Even less is known about how this fauna is related to the rest of the world. This study focuses on the munnopsid subfamily Ilyarachninae Hansen, 1916, to explore the phylogenetic and biogeographic relationships of the local fauna to others from this group worldwide. To analyse the relationships within the Ilyarachninae, a suitable outgroup, in this case, the sister group, was needed to be determined. To do this, a cladistic analysis of the Munnopsidae was undertaken. In addition to determining a suitable outgroup, the family level analysis also served to test the monphyly of the nine subfamilies and to resolve the placement of the three genera, Munneurycope Stephensen, 1913, Munnicope Menzies and George, 1972 and Munnopsurus Richardson, 1912b which were not placed in any exsiting subfamily. The cladistic analysis of the Munnopsidae included 72 species representing all munnopsid genera, including where possible, the type species and was based on 122 morphological characters. A well resolved strict consensus tree was found. The results show Munnopsurus to be the sister group of the Ilyarachninae and the Munnopsinae to be the most ancestral group of the Munnopsidae. Of all the subfamilies, the Betamorphinae is not a monophyletic. The results show that although some subfamily names are upheld, others show no congruence to the topology of the results, and therefore the use of subfamily names are abandoned. Four families are instead recognized, the Munnopsidae (restricted to the former Munnopsinae), Acanthocopidae Wolff, 1962, the Syneurycopidae Wolff, 1962 and the Lipomeridae Tattersall, 1905a, with the latter including the former Ilyarachninae ('Ilyarachna-group'). Within the Ilyarachna-group, two new genera and 28 species were described, including 25 species new to science. Two genera, Notopais and Epikopais n. gen. are found exclusively in the southern hemisphere. Of the more cosmopolitan genera, some New Zealand and south-east Australian species display close affinities to each other and with Antarctic species. These relationships were tested using cladistic phylogenetic methods, and in addition to this, the analysis also served to test the monophyly of the genera. The analysis used 59 species, representing all genera and 61 morphological characters. The strict consensus tree was well resolved, however Aspidarachna Sars, 1897b, Ilyarachna Sars, 1870 and Echinozone Sars, 1897b were not monophyletic. The results also showed that the Ilyarachna-group fauna of New Zealand and south-east Australia are closely related to each other and to species from Antarctica.

Thesis (M.S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Botany, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-102).

No description available.