INV-EVO/2 will keep framing in an evolutionary perspective, life history traits of three key megadiverse players, caenogastropods, weevils and calyptrate flies, defining a solid DNA-based systematics, integrating molecular and morpho-anatomical data. Previous results have shown that the evolution of key life-history traits can be understood only within a robust phylogenetic framework. Samples collected during past INV-EVO projects allow to remarkably enlarge the coverage without the cost of fieldtrips.
Why caenogastropods, weevils and calyptrates? Caenogastropoda represent the largest clade of extant molluscs, extremely diversified at sea, freshwater and on land, dominant members in all marine habitats, playing almost all ecological roles. Weevils with >60000 known species, are the most diverse and abundant phytophagous insects on Earth, including agricultural and forestry pests. Calyptrates, a relatively young major radiation of flies, include 20000 known species in 13 families, among the most ecologically, economically, and medically important insects on Earth. All excellent experimental models for baseline and applied research, yet still lacking adequate knowledge of their evolutionary biology, particularly the phylogenetic and ecological dimensions.
Background- PI co-authored the first genomic-based phylogenetic hypotheses for neogastropods, showing that wider taxo-genomic sampling improves resolution. EVONEO has assembled NGS markers for phylogenetics and the first INV-EVO showed their performance in resolving crucial nodes.
Aims- A solid phylogenetic framework for caenogastropods, weevils and calyptrates, integrating anatomical, life-history and DNA data.
Project-Identify additional markers by NGS exon capture to test monophyly & define molecular phylogeny of major lineages in caenogastropods, weevils and calyptrates; analyse evolution of biological features, focusing on feeding strategies and life-history evolution, and on new-generation Integrative Taxonomy.
After the proect EVONEO funded by Sapienza, we have produced a phylogenetic hypothesis of the neogastropod molluscs, based on over 1,700 exons spanning ~360 Kb. and new phylogenetic hypotheses for Ocenebrinae, Columbellidae, Mitridae, Raphitomidae, and a series of works at the level of species, proving that the new approach works well from the species to the order level, which was exactly what we were searching. Regarding weevils we have mainly worked to solve the taxonomic position of several species within genera belonging to subfamilies Entiminae and Ceutorhynchinae with results already published or in preparation. Moreover, we resolved the phylogenetic position of a number of key calyptrate taxa, in particular, the monotypic, enigmatic genera Aporeomyia, Bixinia and Baniassa in the Rhinophoridae, and Morinia and Melanodexia in the Polleniidae.
The major innovation in this proect consists in the fact that the molecular markers for the phylogenetic analyses will be identified in an exon capture fashion, by bioinformatics analysis of large genomic datasets.
Such a robust phylogenetic hypothesis based on a last generation dataset will represent the preliminary results to apply with more success probability to EU (ERC) and USA (NSF) funding bodies, as envisaged by the caenogastropod network to which the PI belongs