HR: 11:45h
AN: NB22D-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Parallel Evolution of Larval Feeding Behavior, Morphology, and Habitat in the Snail-Kiling fly Genus Tetanocera
AU: * Chapman, E G
EM: echapman@kent.edu
AF: Kent State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Cunningham Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242-0001 United States
AU: Foote, B A
EM: bfoote@kent.edu
AF: Kent State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Cunningham Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242-0001 United States
AU: Malukiewicz, J
EM: jmalukie@kent.edu
AF: Kent State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Cunningham Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242-0001 United States
AU: Hoeh, W R
EM: whoeh@kent.edu
AF: Kent State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Cunningham Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242-0001 United States
AB: Sciomyzid larvae (Diptera: Acalyptratae) display a wide range of feeding behaviors, typically preying on a wide variety of gastropods. The genus Tetanocera is particularly interesting because its species occupy five larval feeding groups with each species' larvae living in one of two habitat types (aquatic or terrestrial). We constructed a molecular phylogeny for Tetanocera, estimated evolutionary transitions in larval feeding behaviors and habitats that occurred during Tetanocera phylogenesis, and investigated potential correlations among larval habitat and morphological characteristics. Approximately 3800 base pairs (both mitochondrial and nuclear) of sequence data were used to build the phylogeny. Larval feeding groups and habitat type were mapped onto the phylogeny and pair-wise comparisons were used to evaluate potential associations between habitat and morphology. Feeding and habitat groups within Tetanocera were usually not monophyletic and it was estimated that Tetanocera lineages made at least three independent aquatic to terrestrial transitions. These parallel habitat shifts were typically accompanied by parallel character state changes in four morphological characteristics (larval color and three posterior spiracular disc characters). These larval habitat-morphology associations were statistically significant and consistent with the action of natural selection in facilitating the morphological changes that occurred during aquatic to terrestrial habitat transitions in Tetanocera.
DE: 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings)
DE: 9901 NABS Student Award - Basic Research
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly