| title: | Systematics of selected groups of Geometrid moths (Lepidoptera) |
|---|---|
| reg no: | ETF5750 |
| project type: | Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| subject: |
1.15. Zoology |
| status: | accepted |
| institution: | Institute of Zoology and Botany at Estonian University of Life Sciences |
| head of project: | Jaan Viidalepp |
| duration: | 01.01.2004 - 31.12.2006 |
| description: | The global system of Geometrid moths up to present has remained not substantiated in some up-to-date way. There are few cladistically argumented phylogenetical trees in literature (Abraham et al., 2001), and the reality of results of cladistical analyses is often disputed among specialists from different schools of cladists. The parallel usage and comparison of phylogenetic trees based on DNA-sequencing methods and those built up using analyses of morphology data sets from the same objects, analysed by the same computation program, is a new and quickly developing trend. Why 'selected groups'? Starting from what we know: means for sequencing of taxa from subfamily Sterrhinae have been found, and will be checked on species, genus, and tribal level of Sterrhinae. Molecular systematicists group in Zoological State Museum in Münich is working on a geometrid moth genus Gnophos Tr. The PI of the current project was asked to prepare a cladistic survey of this group. The preliminary analysis demonstrates that there are two clear-cut mono-phyletic lineages among the Gnophini.This result will be published in co-authorship with German colleagues, or independently. And further it will be a search for sequencing agents for other subfamilies of Geometrid moths, e.g. for Emerald moths (subfamily Geometrinae). The last group is interesting in that some leading morphological trends within it are reductional, i.e. problematic to deal with cladistic methods. The investigation is based on specimens from collection of Institute of Zoology and Botany, including fresh, or deep-frozen material from Neotropical Region and Australia, suitable for analysis of intercontinental relationships in fauna and phylogeographical problems. |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Jaan Viidalepp | Institute of Zoology and Botany at Estonian University of Life Sciences | senior research associate | |
| 2. | Erki Õunap | EPMÜ ZBI | vanemlaborant | |