When the i5k initiative was founded, a call was put out to collect information on priority species for sequencing. This table includes the species and justifications provided in those submissions. This data is provided as-is from the original nomination; no effort has been made to update or validate the current status of these genome projects.
Total nominations: 787 (783 unique species)
| Species | Nominator | Nomination Status | Genome Size | Importance Group | Justification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porcellio scaber | Cedric Devigne, David Spurgeon | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | understanding the widespread of this species is important since as a crustacea, it is a model organism for the invasion of land.genetic information could imrpove our knowledge about the origin of this taxon and the history of the terrestrial invasion. Besides, this species is considered as an invasive species in some part of the world. Genetic analysis could permit to undertsnad the origin of the new established population. Key species in litter decomposition and turnover in terrestrial ecosystems. Important role of digestive processes and metabolism in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Very widely distributed and common woodlouse species. | |
| Polyxenus lagurus | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Important taxon for outgroup comparison - representative of Diplopoda - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Podisus maculiventris | Kent Shelby | Nominated (06/21/2011) | 878 | Agriculture | The beneficial spined soldier bug Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) is a Nearctic generalist predator associated with agricultural and forest environments where it feeds upon eggs and larvae of over 100 species of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. It is economically important and a high-value biological control agent because of its voracious feeding habits, high reproductive capacity and mass rearing potential. Inbred laboratory colonies reared on artificial diet are available to initiate genomic sequencing. The genome size of animals from this colony was estimated at 878.4 Mbp (_) or 859.5.4 Mbp (_) (Hanrahan & Johnston, pers. comm.).A genome sequence would complement ongoing genetic marker development targeted at more efficient commercial insectary production of this insect. |
| Anisolabis maritima | Andrew Zink, ICIPE | Nominated (06/18/2011) | Model Organism | The Maritime earwig has become a model system for studying the evolution of maternal care, parent offspring conflict, and cannibalism. It has recently been found to be the only animal for which asymmetric (versus symmetric) male morphology (forceps) provides an advantage in intrasexual selection (fights among males). | |
| Anoplophora glabripennis | Duane D. McKenna | Library construction (08/09/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) (ALB) is an invasive pest from Asia that came to Canada, the United States and Europe concealed in solid wood packing material. It is a serious threat to deciduous hardwood trees in urban, suburban, and forested parts of the country. Larvae bore into a tree's heartwood, damaging and eventually killing the tree. If it became widely established in North America (it is already established locally), it could be one of the most destructive and costly invasive species ever (USDA Prgm. Aid No.1655). A target of current USDA eradication efforts. These beetles are large (1-1.5 inches) and one beetle can provide more than 10 micrograms of DNA. Specimens in North America are all relatively closely related. Suitable specimens are available for sequencing. | |
| Drosophila hydei | Mariana Mateos | Nominated (07/02/2011) | 180 | Model Organism, Systematics | Inbred line (G7) available for which a BAC library was developed: https://stockcenter.ucsd.edu/index.php?table=GenomeProjects&action=view&id=1448 Model for mating systems, symbiotic associations, behavior, studies of heterochromatin and the Y chromosome. This species belongs to the diverse repleta group (for which only one species has been sequenced: Drosophila mojavensis). D. mojavensis and D. hydei probably diverged ~14 mya. It is cosmopolitan like D. melanogaster It harbors two divergent strains of Spiroplasma bacteria, which protect it from parasitoid attack. Genomic tools would greatly enhance ability to understand this model defensive mutualism. It has a contrasting mating system to melanogaster (females mate multiply over short periods) It has one of the longest sperm reported. |
| Halictus rubicundus | ISIGC, Robert Paxton | Nominated (08/08/2011) | Model Organism | The species is facultatively eusocial, some populations exhibiting solitary behavior and some populations exhibiting eusocial behavior. It is therefore at the threshold of eusociality, ideal for investigation of the genetic/genomic underpinning of insect eusociality. The species in widespread in northern Europe and North America. Phenotypic plasticity, eusocial evolution, facultatively eusocial | |
| Kalathomyrmex emeryi | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | The monotypic Kalathomyrmex is the sister group to all remaining Neoattini. Its sole species, K. emeryi, is biologically very interesting. It is widely distributed in South America and found in sandy, open areas in both seasonally dry and wet (e.g., beaches on the Rio Amazonas) areas of the Guiana Shield, the Amazon Basin, the Brasilian cerrado, and many localities in Argentina. Interestingly, the species distribution seems to be associated with large river systems and it is well known that nests of K. emeryi become submerged during high water. Given its phylogenetic position, comparative genomic data from K. emeryi will be critical for understanding the earliest events in the evolution of the Attini, including the origin of fungus cultivation. | |
| Mycocepurus smithii | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Mycocepurus smithii is one of the most unusual fungus-growing ant, because it the only know attine species in which queens are capable of asexual reproduction whereas workers are sterile. The wide geographic distribution, ranging form Mexico to Argentina and including some Caribbean islands, in combination with high nest densities within populations, suggest that M. smithii is an ecologically successful species, contradicting the expectation that asexual species should be evolutionarily short-lived. This seeming conundrum was recently explored in a study by Rabeling and co-workers demonstrating that sexual populations exist in the Amazon basin, generating asexual clones. But M. smithii is not only interesting because of it's fascinating reproductive biology. In addition, the genus Mycocepurus represents one of the most basally diverging branches in the attine phylogeny. Comparisons of the genomes of M. smithii and more highly derived fungus-growing ants, such as the leafcutter ants, will provide important insights into the evolution of complex social traits, and will help to understand the genetic mechanisms underlying derived social characteristics such as multiple mating and worker polymorphism.a | |
| Mantoida maya | Mike Maxwell | Nominated (07/18/2011) | Mantoida maya is a member of a basal genus within the Mantodea. It is very small for a mantodean, being 1-2 cm long. Understanding its genomic sequence, along with the sequence of more recent clades, will illuminate the evolutionary changes that have lead to the highly derived features of mantodeans (e.g., freely mobile head, raptorial forelegs, elongated pronotum). | ||
| Cyphomyrmex rimosus | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | The genus Cyphomyrmex is non-monophyletic, consisting of at least two and possibly even three non-sister clades. One of those clades is the ""Cyphomyrmex rimous group,"" containing within it a derived group of yeast-cultivating species. C. rimosus is the most widespread of the yeast-growers and, indeed, one of the most widespread of all attine species, occurring in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean. It is arguably a complex of cryptic species. Colonies are frequently encountered in leaf litter, under logs, in tangles of epiphytic roots, in abandoned termite mounds, in hollow coconuts, and in adventitious cavities in the soil and even rock cliffs. The fungus garden, consisting of yeast nodules, is supplied by the ants with insect and millipede frass as well as regurgitated nectar. Nests almost invariably contain ant exoskeletons and beetle elytra imported by the ants for unknown reasons. Comparative genomic data from a member of the Cyphomyrmex rimosus group will, among other things, be extremely important for understanding the transition from lower attine agriculture to yeast agriculture. | |
| Zophobas atratus | Yoonseong Park | Nominated (08/05/2011) | Model Organism | We propose to use a large superworm, Zophobas atratus, Tenebrionidae as a model system in the physiological and biochemical studies. The superworm provides an interesting biology of intraspecific competition by modulating the developmental program in the crowded condition. Delay in metamorphosis to the pupal stage occurs to avoid becoming the prey of cannibalism and likely involves an interesting endocrinology. The large size (1 to 1.5 inch) allows obtaining large amount of biological material for biochemical study and easy micromanipulation for physiological study. This species is easy to rear at high density in a laboratory incubator, and very popular as a food for pets. The superworm is easy to rear in the laboratory environment without significant inbreeding depression. This insect can be a model system for physiology and biochemistry owing to its large size (up to 2 inches in length). | |
| Sericomyrmex amabilis | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | The genus Sericomyrmex is a highly derived clade nested within a larger clade that is the sister group to all other higher attine ants. Sericomyrmex species are of great interest to attinology for a number of reasons, including their lack of visible actinomycetes on the integument and the extremely short branches separating the species, suggesting that they may be the result of a recent rapid radiation. Like leafcutting ants, at least some Sericomyrmex spp. harvest fresh vegetation (flowers and other soft plant parts). Comparative genomic data from a Sericomyrmex species will be very important for understanding evolution within the higher Attini. | |
| Leptinotarsa decemlineata | Yannick Pauchet, George Yocum | Nominated (03/18/2011) | 450 | Agriculture, Energy, Food Safety, Model Organism | The Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is the primary defoliator of potato and also feeds on tomato and eggplant. The CPB is well known for its abilities to rapidly develop resistance to all insecticides used against it. The CPB have served as the chief species for the study of adult diapause. As such the CPB have contributed significantly to our understanding of insect endocrinology, environmental physiology, and evolution of insecticide resistance. |
| Gyrinus sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance as possible sister group to all other Adephaga (Coleoptera). Highly derived morphology. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn | |
| Parhyale hawaiensis | Aziz Aboobaker, Michalis Averof | Nominated (03/18/2011) | 3600 | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | Parhyale hawaiensis is a model system of growing importance for developmental biology. It has life history characteristics and developmental features which make it a suitable model for basic biomedical questions. The community has developed tools for mis-expression and loss of function studies allowing the molecular mechanisms underpinning developmental and regenerative processes in this animal to be described. In order to fully utilize the Parhyale we require a genome to perform genome wide functional screens and identify cis-regulatory elements. The Parhyale genome is relatively large (determined by Aboobaker+Patel to be approx. 3.6 Gb), but I think that the experimental advantages of the system outweigh this. Obtaining suitable genetic material (in bred lines) is not a problem. The Parhyale research community is still small (~30-40 researchers) but continuously expanding. |
| Heliothis subflexa | Fred Gould | Nominated (03/28/2011) | 480 | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | Heliothis virescens and Heliothis subflexa are closely related species that can be crossed in the laboratory but differ in host range, pheromone signals, behavior, and morphology. Both are agricultural pests. BAC libraries exist and the strains used to make these libraries are still in culture. Inbred strains are being produced. An AFLP map of the genome exists and QTL for pheromonal communication and host range have been identified. |
| Sitophilus zeamais | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Cosmopolites sordidus | ICIPE, Prem Raj Pushpakaran | Nominated (07/12/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | vast infestation on mature banana rhizome Important pest in Africa | |
| Anisomorpha buprestoides | Aaron T. Dossey | Nominated (06/14/2011) | Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Anisomorpha buprestoides is typical of order Phasmatodea. It is a classical species whose chemical defense has been extensively studied. It is easy to breed in large numbers and is common in the Southeastern United States near multiple prominent research institutions. Phasmids produce a wide variety of compounds with their defense glands. Thus, they make excellent model organisms for biosynthesis and other studies. Understanding their genome would greatly benefit the field of insect chemistry. | |
| Mycetosoritis clorindae | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Mycetosoritis clorindae is the sole representative of an ancient lineage that is the sister group to a great majority of the Neoattini, namely the clade consisting of M. hartmanni, Cyphomyrmex, Mycetagroicus, and the higher Attini. As such, comparative genomic data from this species is critical for understanding early evolutionary transitions in the Neoattini. M. clorindae occupies what is apparently a relictual distribution, and is known from Rio Grande do Sul (Brasil) and Formosa (Argentina), where it nests in the soil. | |
| Tetragonisca angustula | Francis M.F. Nunes | Nominated (03/18/2011) | These stingless bee genomes may provide important information to solve the puzzles on caste determination since they present different (genetic vs. trophic, respectively) ways to trigger the diphenic fate. Currently we have no funding or ongoing genome projects, and the i5k initiative encourages us to begin planning. | ||
| Belonocnema treatae | Scott Egan | (07/09/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | We have suitable genetic material preserved and readily available at any time for this very interesting insect. This is a cyclically parthenogenic insect that alternates between an asexual and sexual generations. We have males and females from the sexual generation and asexual females from the alternative generation. This insect also forms locally adapted populations and we have samples across the host plant environments (Quercus virginiana and Q. geminata) from across its range (Texas to Florida, USA). | |
| Tuta absoluta | Gaellle Le Goff, Frederique Hiliou, Suat Sav | Nominated (04/26/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety | ||
| Musca domestica | Jeff Scott | Nominated (03/24/2011) | 310 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | House flies are carriers of more than 100 devastating diseases that have severe consequences for human and animal health. Despite the fact that it is a passive vector, a key bottleneck to progress in controlling the human diseases transmitted by house flies is lack of knowledge of the basic molecular biology of this species. Sequencing of the house fly genome will provide important inroads to the discovery of novel target sites for house fly control, understanding of the house fly immune response, rapid elucidation of insecticide resistance genes and understanding of numerous aspects of the basic biology of this insect pest. The ability of the house fly to prosper in a remarkably septic environment motivates analysis of its innate immune system. Its polymorphic sex determination system, with male-determining factors on either the autosomes or the Y chromosome, is ripe for a genomic analysis. Sequencing of the house fly genome would allow the first opportunity to study the interactions between a pest insect and its parasitoid (Nasonia vitripennis) at the whole genome level. In addition, the house fly is well placed phylogenetically to leverage analysis of the multiple Dipteran genomes that have been sequenced (including several mosquito and Drosophila species). The community of researchers investigating Musca domestica are well prepared and highly motivated to apply genomic analyses to their widely varied research programs. |
| Allonemobius fasciatus | Jeremy L. Marshall | Nominated (07/21/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | The Allonemobius socius complex, which includes A. socius, A. fasciatus, and A. sp. nov. Tex, has been an important and well-studied non-model insect species. An overview of the important points are below: (1) 127 publications since 1980 (2) >3,700 citations from these publications (data from Google Scholar) (3) Used to study ... i. Evolutionary Biology (77 publications) ii. Ecology (50 publications) iii. Evolutionary Genetics (42 publications) iv. Physiology (40 publications) v. Behavior (38 publications) (4) A model for rapid evolution of new species and postmating, prezygotic isolation (5) A well-studied system for the novel nuptial feeding behavior (6) Several genomic tools already in place including ... i. RNAi has been done successfully ii. EST libraries (based on 454 sequencing) for ...a. Female reproductive tract (168,690 sequences) b. Male testis (144,416 sequences) c. Male ACG (37,521 sequences) iii. Several linkage maps have been generated (7) Significant NSF funding since the early 1980s Lastly, we can provide suitable genetic material. | |
| Limnoria quadripunctata | Simon Cragg | Nominated (04/10/2011) | This is an animal without gut resident microorganisms and a remarkable digestive gland transcriptome, which is rich in glycosyl hydrolase enzymes (King et al 2010 PNAS 107: 5345-5350). The animal is capable of digesting wood and other lignocellulosic substrates. Its digestive capabilities are of interest for generation of second generation biofuels which use lignocellulosic waste (rather than crops that compete for land with food crops) as feedstock. It is also of interest as an example of a marine detritivore that processes the more refractory forms of plant detritus that contribute to the huge pool of dissolved organic carbon in the sea. | ||
| Panulirus argus | Charles Derby | Nominated (06/22/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | This is a commercially important species, with a large fishing industry connected to it in the USA and many Caribbean and South American countries, and as such, having its genome sequenced will be extremely valuable. It is a model organism for many academic disciplines, including neuroscience (chemical senses, geomagnetic sense, stomatogastric, etc), ethology, physiology, biochemistry, etc. Genetic material is readily available. | |
| Atta colombica | ISIGC, Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Atta colombica is native in Central America and Colombia and has been intensively studied in Panama for its mating system, sexual conflicts related to sperm storage, sperm viability, and susceptibility to disease. It is a more weedy species than forest-dwelling A. cephalotes, which has already been genome sequenced. A. colombica has surface waste dumps and A. cephalotes underground compost chambers, so that comparative genome data may shed light on structural and regulatory genes that affect hygienic behavior. Eusocial. fungus farmer, caste differentiation, symbiosis, pest status, multiply mated queens | |
| Corydalus sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Holometabola and Neuropterida. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Genome can be squenced from a single specimen. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Tenebrio molitor | Paul R Johnston | Nominated (06/18/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism, Systematics | Tenebrio molitor is essentially Tribolium castaneum writ large. It is a model coleopteran for insect immunity studies owing to its large size and the ability to recover useful quantities of haemolymph (unlike tribolium). It is also a pest of stored products and poultry feed. Almost all of our knowledge of coleopteran immunity comes from studies using T. molitor. | |
| Antipaluria urichi | Janice Edgerly-Rooks | Nominated (08/08/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | This is a silk-spinning insect that has attracted more attention in recent years because of the unique aspects of its silk as well as their unusual behavior. Embiopterans are in a small, unique order; they are an ancient lineage and therefore, understanding their genome will help unravel phylogeny of the orthopteroidea, which has been difficult to interpret. I propose that leaving them out of the project will leave a hole in the understanding of insect evolution. A number of labs are now studying embiopterans focusing on communication, phylogeny, silk evolution--its mechanics and molecular structure, silk gland micro-morphology, to name a few projects. Recent papers have revealed sequences for silks from a variety of embiopteran species, and for a sample of genes important for phylogenetic work, but much remains to be done on this order. The species proposed herein is Antipaluria urichi, which is easy to rear. Lab cultures are available currently at Santa Clara University. Silk is probably the most important of their features in the context of the genome project; silk is becoming more of interest in general because of the potential products in medicine and bioengineering applications. Silk is inert and does not promote immune responses in humans, and its application for skin grafts and other health materials has been recognized for years. Embiopterans produce the finest silks known, and a number of different labs have begun work on biomechanical properties as well as nano-technology. The very small diameters of embiid silks lend qualities of interest to chemical-physicists and to molecular biologists working with silk. These labs include Arizona State University, CSIRO Australia, and UC Riverside. Gland morphology has also recently been studied by a graduate student in Germany as well. Very few people have ever studied this small order and therefore I cannot claim that many scientists currently work on them. I do claim, however, that knowledge of their genomes would add to our understanding of insect evolution, beyond searching for information related to silk properties and mechanics, which has great potential value for science and technology and for health applications. | |
| Therioaphis trifolii | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Alfalfa and clover pests. Two forms of same species with different host ranges. Saliva well-characterized physiologically. Clones available. | ||
| Pamphagus elphes | Naima Benkenana | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | ||
| Chironomus riparius | Urs Schmidt-Ott | Nominated (03/29/2011) | 195 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Longstanding model organism for molecular evolutionary analysis of insect genome structure; model in toxicology, emerging Evo-Devo model for the mosquito branch; grown in the lab and commercially available; genetic material available; many investigators (see also Chironomus home page at: http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/~ethanbr/chiro/. |
| Rhipicephalus microplus | ICIPE, Leonardo Abreu | Nominated (04/05/2011) | Agriculture, Medicine | Important disease vector in Africa | |
| Sarsinebalia urgorrii | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | 2090 | Systematics | Important to infer the origin of hexapods - sister group to remaining Malacostraca - EST sequences available - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn |
| Vespula germanica | ISIGC, Oliver Niehuis, ICIPE | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Haploid males are aimed to sequence; genome can be sequenced from a single individual. Eusocial non-formican vespoid. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Invasiveness, Adv eusoci | |
| Nevrorthus fallax | Agostino Letardi | Nominated (06/26/2011) | Systematics | Nevrorthidae are a small group of Neuroptera comprising 14 species and three genera. They occur in the Mediterranean region (Nevrorthus, four spp.), in eastern Australia (Austroneurorthus, two spp.), and in Japan, China and Taiwan (Nipponeurorthus, eight spp.). Aspöck & Aspöck (2008a) in recent studies proposed a sister-group relationship between Nevrorthidae (Nevrorthiformia) and the remaining Neuroptera, i.e. a clade comprising Hemerobiiformia and Myrmeleontiformia. Review of genetic approaches in Winterton et al, 2010 (Systematic Entomology (2010), 35, 349-378) | |
| Spodoptera litura | Paul R Johnston | Nominated (06/18/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | One of the most devastating generalist agricultural pests on the subcontinent | |
| Lygus lineolaris | Omaththage Perera | Nominated (06/28/2011) | 1000 | Agriculture | L. lineolaris and other Lygus species are major pests of agricultural crops. Insecticide resistance is widespread in L. lineolaris. Laboratory colonies are available for genetic material and 2 BAC libraries and partial genomic sequences are available for L. lineolaris. |
| Filientomon sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Protura, key taxon to resolve the origin of hexapods. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Xylocopa pubescens | ISIGC, Leila Bendifallah | Nominated (07/19/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Phenotypic plasticity, economically important pollinator,facultative sociality | |
| Adelges tsugae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Close aphid relatives. Are also serious pests on hemlock trees. Sister species of A. piceae. | ||
| Clogmia albipunctata | Urs Schmidt-Ott | Nominated (03/29/2011) | 316 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Larvae can cause myiasis; model organism for evolutionary developmental biology; grown in the lab (highly inbred line available); genetic material available; worldwide subtropical distribiution. |
| Megacopta cribraria | Nicole Gerardo | Nominated (07/30/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism | The stinkbug Megacopta cribraria is a pest on soybeans in many parts of Asia and has recently invaded North America, where it is spreading rapidly in the Southeastern United States. The bugs are born symbiont free and then immediately feed on symbiont housing capsules left near the eggs by their mothers. This allows for easy comparison of symbiont-free and symbiont-harboring insects. Work on Japanese populations suggests that the symbiont genotype dictates whether a Megacopta can or cannot use soybeans. The symbiont genome has been sequenced. M. cribraria are easily reared in the lab. | |
| Hydropsyche angustipennis | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Annulipalpia, the possible sister group of all other Trichoptera - important to reconstruct groundplan features of Amphiesmenoptera - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn | |
| Cryptotermes brevis | Anon | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Model Organism | ||
| Lampyris noctiluca | Aygen Ergen | Nominated (06/19/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Energy | If we know firefly's genetic material about light process, we would design environment-friendly energy generator. I think this light generator simulates the nature. | |
| Gryllus bimaculatus | Shelley Adamo | Nominated (04/11/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | G. bimaculatus is an important model organism for neuroethologists (e.g. Ron Hoy, G. Pollack), insect endocrinologists (M. Lorenz, J. Woodring) and behavioural ecologists (A. Jacot). Having molecular tools would enhance studies such as research on sensory processing in central nervous systems. | |
| Deois flavopicta | Daniel Azevedo | Nominated (06/22/2011) | Agriculture | This Insect has been caused a lot of loses to drovers. It suck sap from grass make cow thin. | |
| Speleonectes tulumensis | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | 7950 | Systematics | Possible sister group of Hexapoda - important to infer the origin of hexapods - occurs in ""anchialine"" underwater cave systems - ESTs available - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. |
| Euphydryas aurinia | Yannick Pauchet | Nominated (07/12/2011) | The Marsh fritillary is an vulnerable butterfly species in Europe, causing it to be not only listed as a protected species in the UK (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority species), but also the only British species to be listed under European legislation too (Annexe II of both the EC Habitats and Species Directive and the 1979 Bern Convention). | ||
| Gryllodes sigillatus | Yannick Pauchet | Nominated (07/12/2011) | Model Organism | ||
| Cicadulina mbila | ICIPE, David Bailey | Nominated (03/30/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety | Important pest in Africa | |
| Vitacea polistiformis | Jhalendra Rijal | Nominated (06/15/2011) | Agriculture | Grape root borer is a very problematic pest in vineyard and needs to understand the basic bahavior and biology for the management strategy. | |
| Perla marginata | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Polyneoptera; phylogenetic origin of order Plecoptera is unknown. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Genome can be sequenced from a single specimen. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Solenopsis interrupta | Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | S. interrupta, native to S. America, is a monogynous species that is phylogenetically basal to 4 fire ant species having both monogyne and polygyne social forms. The differences in queen number and other phenotypes between the 2 social forms are caused by polymorphisms at a selfish supergene. Comparative genomics among the socially polymorphic and strictly monogynous fire ant species (7 proposed) and with the S. invicta reference genome will be revealing for selfish gene action, species invasiveness, social behaviour, and the evolution of polygyny. | |
| Solenopsis geminata | Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | S. geminata, native to N. and S. America, is a worldwide invasive pest. It is a monogynous species that is phylogenetically basal to 4 fire ant species having both monogyne and polygyne social forms. The differences in queen number and other phenotypes between the 2 social forms are caused by polymorphisms at a selfish supergene. Comparative genomics among the socially polymorphic and strictly monogynous fire ant species (7 proposed) and with the S. invicta reference genome will be revealing for the evolution of polygyny, selfish gene action, and species invasiveness. | |
| Dichrostigma flavipes | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Holometabola and Neuropterida - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project- suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Euperipatoides kanangrensis | Joakim Eriksson | Nominated (04/13/2011) | 6730 | Model Organism, Systematics | The onychophorans to which Euperipatoides kanangrensis belongs are positioned at the base of the arthropod or panarthropod tree and therefore can constitute as a proxy for basal conditions of many derived arthropod characters. To know the basal character states is important in order to understand how different organs has evolved, e.g. nervous system and eyes. |
| Mycetosoritis hartmanni | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | M. hartmanni occupies a critical position in the phylogeny of the Attini as the sister group to all neoattines except Kalathomyrmex and Mycetarotes. Interestingly, this species appears to be one of two extant representatives (the other, M. vinsoni, may be conspecific) of an independent evolutionary lineage that is not closely related to any other Mycetosoritis species included in the most recent phylogenetic study of the tribe Attini. In what is arguably a relictual distribution, M. hartmanni and the closely related, possibly conspecific M. vinsoni are native to the Southern United States (mostly Texas and Western Louisiana) and Central America south to northern Costa Rica, where the species inhabits areas with sandy soils. The nest architecture is relatively simple, consisting of one to four chambers, which are arranged vertically and are connected by a single tunnel. Despite more than a decade of fungus-growing ant research in the United States, M. hartmanni remains virtually unstudied. Due to its phylogenetic position as the sister group to the majority of the Neoattini, comparative genomic data from M. hartmanni will be critical for understanding the early evolution of attine agriculture. | |
| Hedychrum rutilans | Oliver Niehuis, ISIGC | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Systematics | representative of Chrysidoidea, the sister group of all remaining Aculeata; allows inferring the genome of the ancestral Aculeata;cool biology: cleptoparasite of Philanthus triangulum - a natural preditor of honeybees; model organism for studying the evolution of chemical mimicry; economically important to control populations of Philanthus triangulum; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request Parasitoids; haploid males are aimed to sequence; Phylogenetic importance as first split within Aculeata; evolution of stinger/predatory life history. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. Outgroup species; cuckoo wasp; sister to other Aculeata, Solitary | |
| Tanzaniophasma sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Polyneoptera; phylogenetic origin of order Mantophasmatodea is unknown. Genome can be sequenced from a single specimen. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. | |
| Xyela alpigena | Oliver Niehuis, Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance as possible sister group to all other Hymenoptera; allows reconstructing groundplan features of Hymenoptera and Holometabola. Males are haploid. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK sister group of all remaining Hymenoptera; allows inferring the ancestral genome of Hymenoptera; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Sarcophaga crassipalpis | Karl Joplin, David L. Denlinger | Nominated (03/30/2011) | 700 | Medicine, Model Organism | S.crassipalpis is a model system for diapause, development, energy utilization, behavior and physiological functions. The control of these functions at the genetic and epigenetic level requires a knowledge of the genomic organization to examine the differential expression of the transcriptome. Sarcophaga are also the host of the parasitic wasp, Nasonia and genes involved in host-parasite interactions can be explored. Genomic sequence can also be used to explore the evolutionary processes of Diptera. A major model system for understanding diapause and cold hardiness mechanisms. This fly is also a favored host of the parasitoid, Nasonia vitripennis, thus this system can serve as a model for investigating host-parasite relationships as well. Several populations of S. crassipalpis and related species are available in laboratories in the US, Europe and Japan. An EST project has already been completed on this fly. |
| Tegeticula intermedia | Olle Pellmyr | Nominated (04/06/2011) | 400 | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Key species for understanding genetic basis of origin and modification of complex structural and behavioral traits. This is a species that has switched from mutualistic to antagonistic interaction with host yucca, by ceasing to actively pollinate host flowers and delaying oviposition from flower to fruit, thus becoming parasitic on ancestral pollinator moth . |
| Sminthurus viridis | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Selected (08/15/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Systematics | Representative of Symphypleona, Collembola. Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of apterygote hexapods, becomes more and more a pest species. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. ESTs will be sequenced in the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. upcoming pest species, ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Hermetia illucens | Urs Schmidt-Ott | Nominated (03/29/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Useful for managing large concentrations of animal manure and other biosolids; grown in lab; Currently perhaps the only representative of basal Brachycera routinely grown in lab. | |
| Lethocerus indicus | Belinda Bullard, Robert Perz-Edwards, Michael Pfrender | Nominated (07/12/2011) | Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Lethocerus indicus is a model organism used for studying the mechanism of muscle contraction. The asynchronous flight muscle is stretch-activated. This makes it easier to follow molecular events in fibres during contraction and relaxation. The sequence of the whole genome is needed for determining the way in which stretch-activated proteins work, and how the system compares with stretch-activated vertebrate heart muscle. Lethocerus are available from Thailand, or Florida. Lethocerus spp. has been an essential model organism of biophysical research on how muscles convert chemical energy into mechanical motion and force for over 40 years, and yet almost nothing is known about their genome. These insect also rely on stretch activation to drive their flight muscles, a mode of action that overcomes innate limitations of neurogenically driving contraction, as well as giving greater energy efficiency, which has fostered an evolutionary explosion of diversity such that flying insects are the largest class of species on earth. Strech activation appears to have convergently evolved multiple times in 5 different insect orders, three of which have had members sequenced (eg. Apis, Tribolium, and Drosophila from orders Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera) but nothing is known about Hemiptera. | |
| Pogonognathellus longicornis | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Entomobryomorpha, Collembola, important to resolve the phylogeny of apterygote hexapods. Important for soil ecology. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Troides minos | Prem Raj Pushpakaran | Nominated (07/12/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Food Safety, Model Organism | largest butterfly found in southern India and classified as threatened by IUCN | |
| Papilio dardanus | Chris Jiggins, Richard ffrench-Constant | Nominated (03/18/2011) | 440 | Model Organism, Systematics | These are large insects so obtaining enough material from a single diploid individual should not be a problem. Inbreeding would be challenging but might also be feasible for 3-4 generations. This species is a classic evolutionary model insect! |
| Cimex lectularius | ICIPE, Zi-Feng Jiang | Library construction (04/19/2011) | Medicine | Important disease vector species in Africa (& elsewhere) | |
| Homalodisca vitripennis | Wayne Hunter | Selected (04/14/2011) | 1001 | Agriculture, Food Safety | Leafhoppers are vectors of bacterial and viral plant pathogens. These pathogens reduce grapes and fruit crops. Over 5000 cultivars of Vinifera grapes are grown worldwide, in the USA this is valued at $2.9 billion, making it the highest value fruit crop in the US. At present worldwide wine grape production is over 8,000,000 ha, the extraction of trans-resveratrol and trans-e-viniferin from grapevine has an estimated global economic value >$30 billion. Other fruits impacted include Stone Fruits (US. Value over $1.3 billion, 2007, USDA, ARS). H.vitripennis from field, colonies, or as gDNA are available, Hunter lab, FL. |
| Maruca vitrata | Tom Walsh | Nominated (08/10/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Systematics | The legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a serious pest of grain legumes in the tropics and subtropics because of its extensive host range, destructiveness and distribution. The larvae feed on 39 host species , the majority of which belong to leguminaceae. Maruca vitrata has a very wide range of distribution throughout Africa and Asia, South America and southern states of Australia. There is a colony available from CSIRO in Canberra so material is readily available. It has been kept since 2008 and crosses and inbreeding are possible. | |
| Heliothis virescens | Fred Gould, Kent Shelby | Nominated (03/28/2011) | 480 | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | Heliothis virescens and Heliothis subflexa are closely related species that can be crossed in the laboratory but differ in host range, pheromone signals, behavior, and morphology. Both are agricultural pests. BAC libraries exist and the strains used to make these libraries are still in culture. Inbred strains are being produced. An AFLP map of the genome exists and QTL for pheromonal communication and host range have been identified. |
| Tricholepidion gertschi | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Zygentoma - important to resolve the origin of pterygote insects - living fossil - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn | |
| Leptothorax acervorum | ISIGC, Rob Hammond | Nominated (05/09/2011) | Model Organism | L.acervorum shows variation in a fundamental aspect of social organisation1. This is an excellent sytem to investigate the genetic underpinning of reproductive skew (reproductive sharing). It is also an important contrast to the polymorphic social organisation marked by gp-9 in the ant Solenopsis invicta. L. acervorum is a widespread ant found in the northern hemisphere. Colonies are easy to collect and keep in the lab in large numbers (100s) so genetic material is readily available. 1Gill, R. J., Arce, A., Keller, L., and Hammond, R. L., Proc.R.Soc.B 276, 4423 (2009). Eusocial. variable degree of reproductive skew between queens | |
| Boreus sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Holometabola and Antliophora. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Pediculus humanus capitis | Nick Priest | Nominated (03/30/2011) | 108 | Medicine | Head lice and body lice are very close relatives, the former having evolved from the latter after humans began wearing clothing. Body lice vector serious human disease (e.g. Typhus); head lice do not. Comparing the head louse genome with that of the body louse (already available) would help to identify the changes (likely immune related) underlying this difference, and to understand the genetics of sexual incompatibility between the two (speciation). Material would be made available from Gerald Coles, at the School of Veterinary Clinical Science, University of Bristol |
| Tibraca limbativentris | Thiago Idalgo | Nominated (06/19/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety | This is a very important pest on rice fields in Latin-America. Has its control is hampered by the behavior of feeding near the blade of water in irrigated rice fields. In Brazil has been much research done with this pest and know this information would allow better control it better. | |
| Rhodnius prolixus | Paul R Johnston | Community annotation (06/18/2011) | Medicine | Major vector of chagas disease in south/central america. Implicated in horizontal gene transfer between mammals | |
| Micropterix calthella | David Lees, Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (06/18/2011) | Systematics | Micropterigidae are the extant sister group to all other Lepidoptera and therefore important to include. Easy to obtain large quantities. Chris Jiggins already has extractions of some 100 adults I collected in Cambridge. Phylogenetic importance as sister group to all other Lepidoptera; allows reconstructing groundplan features of Lepidoptera and Amphiesmenoptera. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Wasmannia auropunctata | Laurent Keller | (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | The little fire ant, has invaded tropical and subtropical habitats and greenhouses world-wide. Named after its painful sting, it is among the International Union for Conservation of Nature's 100 worst invasive species. Some populations of this species show a unique reproductive system in which queens are clones of their mothers and males are clones of their fathers, while other populations reproduce similarly to most ants. We will study the genetic determinants for this plasticity and the extent to which reproductive plasticity contributed to the invasiveness of this species. | |
| Mycetagroicus cerradensis | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | The genus Mycetagroicus occupies a critical position in attine phylogeny as the sister group to the higher attines (i.e., Trachymyrmex, Sericomyrmex, Acromyrmex, and Atta). It has been recently determined (Solomon et al. 2011) that M. cerradensis is a lower attine, cultivating a Clade 2 leucocoprineaceous fungal cultivar. Mycetagroicus may be the most poorly known of all fungus-growing ant genera, having been first described in 2001 (Brandão and Mayhé-Nunes 2001) from museum specimens. Nest architecture resembles that of some other lower attines as well as some Trachymyrmex. Comparative genomic data from M. cerradensis will be important for understanding the presumably major changes in genetic architecture underlying the evolutionary transition from lower to higher agriculture. | |
| Helicoverpa zea | Howard W. Fescemyer | Nominated (04/06/2011) | 400 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Helicoverpa zea and related Heliothinae moths are significant agricultural pests worldwide. These moths epitomize insects with a suite of 'pest' phenotypes that include resistance to plant allelochemicals and xenobiotics, polyphagy, high mobility and fecundity, and diapause. Comparative analyses of heliothine genomes will lead to discovery of genomic mechanisms underlying adaptive evolution contributing to the success of insect herbivorous pests. This approach will also provide the means for averting adaptive evolution to pest management strategies. |
| Zabrotes subfasciatus | Angel Roberto Barchuk | Nominated (08/08/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism | Since it feeds on stored grains of the common bean Phaseolus vulgaris, a major source of protein in Latin America and Africa, it has great economic and social importance. Together with Tribolium, Callosobruchus and Acanthoscelides species, it also allows evolutionary approaches in studying insect-plant interactions. Genetic material can be obtained from experimental populations in Federal University of Alfenas and/or Ifsuldeminas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. | |
| Formica fusca | ICIPE, Heikki Helantera | Nominated (05/13/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | This is one of the best studied ant species with respect to recognition behaviour and recognition cue diversity. Cryptic species based on chemical differences have been indicated in this subgenus, and a very closely related sympatric species has chemically diverged considerably from F. fusca. This suggests potential for F fusca and relatives as a system for studying the role of recognition cue divergence in speciation. Material is easily available since the species is very common, and easy to collect and maintain in the lab. | |
| Ceratitis capitata | Roberto Burgos Munoz, Pedro Hernandez-Crespo | Library construction (06/16/2011) | Agriculture | Graves perdidas econñmicas por plagas en los frutales de zonas templadas del planeta. (C.A.B. International Institute of Entomology (Distribution maps of pest). ""Desarrollo y reproducciñn de Ceratitis capitata (Wied) bajo la acciñn de dosis subesterilizantes de citarabina, ftorafur y radiaciñn gamma"". Tesis doctoral, 1990 Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Autñnoma de Madrid (Espaóa) | |
| Allopauropus sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Important taxon for outgroup comparison - representative of Pauropoda - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Dermanyssus gallinae | Lionel Zenner | Nominated (07/22/2011) | Agriculture, Medicine, Model Organism | The poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae is a hematophagous mite frequently present in breeding facilities, but especially in laying hen facilities. This arthropod can be responsible for anemia, dermatitis, weight loss and a decrease in egg production. It is difficult to eradicate due to its particular biological characteristics in poultry farms; short life cycle, high resistance to starvation, numerous available hiding places and suspected resistance to pesticides. In addition to poultry species, this mite is able to parasitize a wide range of other birds and can also bite mammals such as horses, rodents and humans. This hematophagous ectoparasite is also involved in transmission of many pathogenic agents responsible for serious diseases in both animals and humans. Concerning the genetic material, we already have thousand of specimens in our lab from different place in france en europe, and are able to collect more using our network. | |
| Dichochrysa prasina | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Holometabola and Neuropterida. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Chrysopids are used as biological control agents. The species of the genus Chrysoperla are taxonomically difficult; the taxonomic status of Dichrochrysa prasina is uncontroversial. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Rhopalosiphum padi | ISIGC, Kevin A. Shufran | Nominated (06/13/2011) | Agriculture, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Wordwide in distribution. Most ubiquitous cereal aphid pest aphid in the world. Vectors Barley yellow dwarf virus. Causes direct damage to plant and grain yield reduction. Wide secondary host range. Holocylcic and anholocyclic phenotypes are known and have been studies. Primary and secondary hosts are Prunus (cherry) and grasses. Host alternation makes it unique from Schizaphis graminum. Easily collected and reared. Can be sexaully bred in lab. Extensive literature available. Cereal pest. | |
| Neosilba zadolicha | Laura Gisloti | (06/16/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Recent studies have shown an interest in the Lonchaeidae family, as its larvae are reported to feed on many commercially relevant fruits. However, the taxonomical difficulties of telling the species of this family apart ends up hampering and discouraging research on these flies. In our work, we use gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to investigate the differences in cuticular hydrocarbon composition among Neotropical Lonchaeidae species from different geographic regions, aiming to use the resulting cuticular hydrocarbon profiles as an identification tool for the species of this family. Molecular biology can provide important data to clarify the taxonomy of Lonchaeidae also encourage new researchers to work with this family has received little research. The Entomology Laboratory of the Animal Biology Department at the State University of Campinas, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Angelo Pires do Prado, often receives specimens of Lonchaeidae species from several regions of Brazil as most of the country's specialists in this dipteran family are concentrated in that laboratory. Parallel to this, fruit and flowers in the literature as hosts for larvae Lonchaeidae being collected in different regions of Brazil to investigate the cuticular hydrocarbons by GC / MS (2010-2013). All species received already stored in accordance with the protocol for DNA extraction. | |
| Ornithodoros moubata | Laurence Vial | Nominated (04/26/2011) | Agriculture, Medicine | Ornithodoros moubata transmits human tick-borne relapsing fever (malaria-like symptoms with neurologic, hemorrhagic, arthritic and abortive complications) and African swine fever (up to 100% mortality in pig farms) in East and Southern Africa. Current studies investigate genes or proteins involved in vector competence for African swine fever virus or that regulate host immune response, in order to develop new vaccine strategies and improve surveillance. In CIRAD, O. moubata is reared and field sampling is possible thanks to collaborations with Mozambique and South Africa. | |
| Sciara coprophila | Susan Gerbi | (06/02/2011) | 270 | Agriculture, Medicine, Model Organism | We maintain the international stock center of Sciara coprophila, with lines inbred for almost 100 years. DNA and RNA are readily available. It is an excellent model organism to answer many questions in biology: Sciara has many unique features with regard to chromosomes (DNA amplification, imprinting, chromosome elimination, germ line limited chromosomes), a unique sex determination system and high resistance to x-irradiation. Sciara ranked in the top three choices as a model organism in the 1930s (CSH) and 1970s (Brenner). |
| Scutigerella sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Important taxon for outgroup comparison - represenatative of Symphyla - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Pamphagus marmoratus | Naima Benkenana | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | ||
| Solenopsis macdonaghi | Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | S. macdonaghi is native to and easily collected in South America. It is 1 of 4 fire ant species known to have both monogyne and polygyne social forms. Remarkably, the differences in queen number and other phenotypes between the 2 social forms are caused by polymorphisms at a selfish supergene. Comparative genomics among the socially polymorphic and strictly monogynous fire ant species (7 proposed) and with the S. invicta reference genome will be revealing for selfish gene action, species invasiveness, social behaviour, and the evolution of polygyny. | |
| Cyphomyrmex faunulus | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | C. faunulus, a member of the Cyphomyrmex strigatus group, is a rain-forest species that is widespread in South America, ranging across the Guiana Shield, the Amazon Basin, and the Atlantic Forest. Its colonies are frequently encountered in rotten logs. Like all members of the C. strigatus group, it cultivates the mycelial form of lower attine leucocoprineaceous fungi. Nests of C. faunulus almost invariably contain ant exoskeletons and beetle elytra imported by the ants for unknown reasons. Given the phylogenetic position of the C. strigatus group, comparative genomic data from a member of the C. strigatus group will be important for understanding the stepwise evolutionary history of the Neoattini. | |
| Schistocerca americana | Greg Sword | Nominated (03/27/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | 1. Schistocerca americana is widely used as a research and teaching model in insect physiology, neurobiology and behavior. 2. The phylogenetic relationship between the New World S. americana and its infamous swarming congener, S. gregaria in the Old World, remains unresolved despite molecular and morphological studies. 3. S. americana does not swarm. It is thus an excellent comparative model for (i) analyses of genetic versus environmental factors underlying locust swarming, and (ii) the expression of density-dependent phenotypic plasticity which is a defining trait of locusts. | |
| Meinertellus sp. | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance as sister group to Dicondylia; important to infer the groundplan of Dicondylia, Pterygota, and Hexapoda. Represenataive of the second family of bristle tails. Suitable genetic material can be supplied by ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Reticulitermes flavipes | ISIGC, Michael Scharf | (06/22/2011) | 1200 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | R. flavipes is a eusocial termite species that has extensive symbiotic associations with 13 protists and over 1,000 prokaryotes/euryarchaeota. R. flavipes is an ecologically relevant pest species, displays complex polyphenism and unique social behaviors, digests lignocellulose, and is an excellent and established model for bioenergy production. Genetic material is readily available in unlimited quantities and a genome project is underway (22x coverage completed as of June 2011). Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. soldier, worker, Pest Eusocial: intermediate |
| Schistocerca gregaria | Amir Ayali | Nominated (04/26/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | The livelihood of at least one-tenth of the world's human population can be affected by this voracious insect. While it is still the most dangerous of all known pests, the Desert locust is a difficult pest to control. Modern days control measures are further compounded by the lack of genetic and molecular knowledge. Furthermore for almost a century, S. gregaria is a leading model animal in endocrinology, physiology, neurobiology and behavior research. Its potential for future research is only limited by the lack of genomic information. | |
| Lepisma saccharina | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Zygentoma - important to resolve the origin of pterygote insects - pest species - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn | |
| Planococcus citri | Rebecca Duncan | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture | P. citri is a sap sucking insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha (psyllids, whitefiles, scales, and aphids), all of which depend on intracellular bacteria to synthesize nutrients deficient in their phloem sap diet. What is unusual about P. citri and some other mealybug species is that they contain two bacterial symbionts with a novel, nested organization (gamma proteobacteria inside beta proteobacteria inside P. citri bacteriocytes). There is currently one aphid genome and plans to sequence more aphid genomes, a whitefly genome and a psyllid genome, but no scale insects have been proposed. A P. citri genome would facilitate comparative studies of the evolution of host genome architecture and metabolic pathways in the context of intracellular symbiosis, regulation of symbiosis in general, as well as studies on the origin and regulation of a novel organization for symbiotic bacteria in an insect. P. citri is an excellent candidate for sequencing because it is a crop pest and the symbiotic organization was originally described in P. citri, in the strain I have in laboratory culture. I am in the process of generating an inbred line from an isofemale parent strain I have made in the lab. The inbred line can serve as the template for genome sequencing. Additional novel or unusual characteristics of mealybugs that could be more easily studied with genomic resources: Their life cycle: despite being hemimetabolous insects, females maintain a larval-like morphology as adults while males undergo a two-instar metamorphosis-like period during which they develop wings and do not feed. Their genetic system: Males undergo paternal genome elimination, whereby males lose their paternally derived chromosomes during development. | |
| Thrips tabaci | George Kennedy | Nominated (08/11/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Thrips tabaci is an important pest of agricultural crops worldwide and is a vector of two plant infecting tospoviruses, Tomato spotted wilt virus and Iris yellow spot virus, belonging to a family of economically important mammalian viruses (Bunyaviridae). Thrips tabaci is found in sexually reproducing and parthenogenetically reproducing populations. Currently, our lab has 6 lines initiated from a single parthenogenetic female that have been maintained in the lab for more than 8 generations. | |
| Melipona quadrifasciata | Comparative Sociogenomics Project, Francis M.F. Nunes | Genome annotation (03/18/2011) | These stingless bee genomes may provide important information to solve the puzzles on caste determination since they present different (genetic vs. trophic, respectively) ways to trigger the diphenic fate. Currently we have no funding or ongoing genome projects, and the i5k initiative encourages us to begin planning. Eusocial. complex eusociality, learning and memory | ||
| Mantis religiosa | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Most famous representative of the order. Suitable indicator for climate change. Genome can be sequenced from a single individual. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. | |
| Halyomorpha halys | Anon, Kent Shelby | Selected (05/10/2011) | 874 | Agriculture | New pest spreading from Mid-Atlantic region, no natural predators in North America, and limited pesticide options, highly destructive to fruit/vegetable crops and a nuisance within residences. Only 3 published papers in Pubmed, dating from 2007. Genetic sequence would help with rational pesticide design (if it is done like what is done for rational drug design). The public is highly fed up with this insect (it is catching up with bed bugs) and would welcome research into stopping this. Genetic material should be easily obtained. |
| Trachymyrmex cornetzi | ISIGC, Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | The genus Trachymyrmex is non-monophyletic, consisting of three distinct clades that form successively more inclusive sister groups to the remaining Trachymyrmex spp. and the leafcutting genera Atta and Acromyrmex. The clade containing T. cornetzi is the intermediate-diverging of those three clades, and is thus the sister group to the leafcutting ants (Atta and Acromyrmex spp.) plus the T. septentrionalis group. Comparative genomic data from T. cornetzi will therefore be very important for understanding the stepwise accumulation of genetic change underlying the evolution of higher attine agriculture and the origin of the leafcutting ants. Eusocial. fungus farmer, less advanced symbiosis, singly mated queens | |
| Megaselia abdita | Urs Schmidt-Ott | Nominated (03/29/2011) | 560 | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Emerging Evo-Devo model organism (at least 6 labs in US and EU; used in forensic studies; grown in the lab; genetic material available; wide occurence or cosmopolitan species. closely related species: M. scalaris is model for evolution of sex determinantion and forensics. Important phylogenetic position as basal representative of the cyclorrhaphan ('higher') flies. |
| Sialis lutaria | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Holometabola and Neuropterida. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Achroia grisella | Michael Greenfield, Jennifer Gleason | Nominated (05/25/2011) | 500 | Agriculture, Model Organism | I am proposing Achroia grisella (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae) for the following reasons. 1) It is a worldwide pest of apiculture. 2) It is one of the few lepidopterans that use acoustic communication for long-range pair formation. 3) It has been the subject of numerous studies on the evolution of sexually-selected traits (male song, female response), and it is a key species for acoustic communication and genotype x environment interaction studies. 4) Linkage maps using AFLP and SNP markers have already been constructed for several populations for the purpose of QTL analyses of male song and female response traits. The species is important as a pest of honeybees. In addition, it is one of few lepidopterans that use acoustic communication and has been studied extensively for sexual selection and lek formation. We have developed an EST library and a preliminary genetic map, which will aid in genome assembly. Thus far, there seems to be close synteny with Bombyx mori. We also have inbred lines which can provide genetic material for sequencing. This is an addendum to our recent nomination of Achroia grisella. 1) An EST library has recently been developed for Achroia grisella (laboratory of Jennifer Gleason, Univ. Kansas). 2) Information from the above EST library and snp markers has shown considerable synteny between Achroia grisella and Bombyx mori. This synteny has allowed identification of the z chromosome in Achroia grisella linkage maps and QTLs. 3) cytology on Achroia grisella (laboratory of Rejane Streiff, CBGP, Montpellier, France) confirms 30 chromosomes (haploid number). |
| Procambarus clarkii | Daniel Cattaert, Milton Charlton, Jessica Bilkey, Jen-Wei Lin | Nominated (03/28/2011) | 3200 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Medicine, Model Organism | P. clarkii (crayfish) is widely used as a model organism in neurobiology. It has been the source of many fundamental discoveries. Even scientists in Israel import this species from the US. Moreover, it is farmed in the southern US for food. This species is largely used in Neuroscience in which molecular biology approaches would greatly benefit of a sequenced genome to discover specific sequences of receptors etc... Procambarus clarkii have been used for decades as a model for studying synaptic plasticity, circuits, behaviour, and so forth; thus, these animals are an integral organism. Additionally, these animals have ecological significance, as some P clarkii are considered invasive species outside of Southwestern US. However, lack of sequence information for this species has inhibited research groups from progressing their studies. With the sequence known, researchers will be able to utilize widely used analytic techniques (Western blot, PCR, etc) to further their understanding of mechanisms involved with the various studied phenomenon in this preparation. For example, cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity are still not fully understood. With the sequence known, specific proteins and molecular players involved in plasticity can be elucidated. These can then be compared to other model organisms, such as Drosophilia and Mus musculus, to verify evolutionary similarities/differences. Molecular biology techniques, partnered with electrophysiology and histochemistry, will provide significant information with respect to short term synaptic plasticity. Although the number of current labs experimenting with crayfish is seemingly small, this is largely a result of lack of sequence information being available. An important use of crayfish not revealed in the survey above is that this animal is used extensive in undergraduate education. Its relatively large size makes it easy to manipulate. It is cheap. It is more receptive as an experimental animals to undergraduates, than mouse or rat. Genetic information of crayfish should greatly expand its use in education. |
| Haematopota pluvialis | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Representative of Orthorrhapha, the first split with Brachcera. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Gryllus texensis | Shelley Adamo | Nominated (04/11/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | Gryllus texensis (and other members of this genus) are commonly used in behavioural ecology and neuroethology. Research on this species has advanced our understanding of sexual selection (e.g. Bill Cade and Sue Bertram's studies) and ecological immunology (Shelley Adamo) | |
| Cryptocercus darwini | Srini Kambhampati | Nominated (03/18/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Energy, Systematics | Cryptocercus is unique for a number of reasons. It is a subsocial species and likely the closest living relative of termites. Therefore, studies on Cryptocercus are likely to shed light on the origins of eusociality in an important group of insects (termites). Cryptocercus is xylophagous and likely to have evolved unique pathways and associations to deal with the problem of celulose degradation. Fresh material is easily obtained from the field | |
| Cyphomyrmex costatus | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | The C. wheeleri group, which includes C. costatus, is the sister group to the clade containing the higher attines and the genus Mycetagroicus. C. costatus is a widespread rain-forest species that is known to occur in Costa Rica, Panama, and northern South America. It is arguably a complex of cryptic species. It cultivates the mycelial form of lower attine leucocoprineaceous fungi. Due to its phylogenetic position relatively close to the higher attines, comparative genomic data from a member of the C. wheeleri group will be critical for understanding the series of evolutionary transitions that led to higher attine agriculture. | |
| Stagmomantis limbata | Mike Maxwell | Nominated (07/18/2011) | Systematics | Stagmomantis limbata is a member of a derived and relatively recent genus within the Mantodea. Understanding its genomic sequence, along with the sequence of basal clades, will illuminate the evolutionary changes that have lead to the highly derived features of mantodeans (e.g., freely mobile head, raptorial forelegs, elongated pronotum). Furthermore, S. limbata is the only mantodean species that is the subject of ecological research in nature in its native habitat. | |
| Metallyticus violaceus | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | One of the first splits in Mantodea. Allows reconstructing groundplan features of Mantodea. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Chrysoperla rufilabris | Margaret (Meg) L. Allen | Nominated (04/07/2011) | 900 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism, Systematics | This species can be obtained commercially. Also very easy to maintain in culture. I have an inbred strain, could provide multi-level isofemale selection if desired. |
| Adelges piceae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Close aphid relatives. Are also serious pests on firs. Sister species of A. tsugae. | ||
| Tribolium confusum | Susan Brown | Nominated (07/05/2011) | 250 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism | This beetle genome is being sequenced to 30x coverage (illumina) (after 6 generations of inbreeding) for comparative studies with the closely related model organism Tribolium castaneum (same tribe) to identify CRMs. Additional genome coverage and RNA-seq data will be required to complete the assembly and annotation. Although the number of researchers currently working on T. confusum is small, the genome sequence is of interest to the entire T. castaneum community. |
| Dendroctonus ponderosae | Dezene Huber | Nominated (07/11/2011) | 205 | Ecosystem Function, Energy | An extensive EST database already exists, and work is being done on a full genome. |
| Pseudaulacaspis pentagona | Ali Guncan | Nominated (06/15/2011) | Agriculture | ||
| Aphis fabae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | 500 | Legume pest. Clone available | |
| Chaeteessa valida | Mike Maxwell | Nominated (07/18/2011) | Systematics | Chaeteessa valida is a member of a basal genus within the Mantodea. It is quite small for a mantodean, being c. 2 cm long. Understanding its genomic sequence, along with the sequence of more recent clades, will illuminate the evolutionary changes that have lead to the highly derived features of mantodeans (e.g., freely mobile head, raptorial forelegs, elongated pronotum). | |
| Lepismachilis y-signata | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of as sister group to Dicondylia; Important to infer the groundplan of Dicondylia, Pterygota, and Hexapoda. Suitable genetic material can be supplied by the ZFMK, Bonn. ESTs are available. | |
| Ixodes ricinus | David Sattelle, Kristin Lees, Petra Ludwig-Sidow | Nominated (06/24/2011) | 2400 | Agriculture, Medicine | Disease vector (Lyme disease, Louping Ill, Tick-borne encephalitis). Major ectoparasite of livestock. Major disease vector in UK and Europe Transmits several deseases but especially the rising number of lyme desease infections in middle European children is worrying. |
| Ochlerotatus caspius | Lionel Almeras | Nominated (04/06/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Medicine | Aedes caspius is present all along the Mediterranean border and has been suspected at many times to be involved in Rift Valley Fever transmission. In south Europa, its high abundance could compensate its low vector competence for chikungunya virus. Furthermore, its abundance in some touristic areas has a major economical impact and cost. This mosquito is already a pest and its potential involvement in the future transmission of arboviruses (CHIK, Dengue, Rift and west Nile viruses) is studied by many teams in South Europe and North Africa. | |
| Euborellia annulipes | Andrew Zink | Nominated (06/18/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | The Ringlegged earwig has become a model system for studying the evolution of maternal care and the hormonal bases of oviposition and egg guarding. It has also been investigated as a biocontrol agent in the midwestern US. | |
| Acromyrmex insinuator | Ted Schultz, ISIGC | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Acromyrmex insinuator is an inquiline social parasite of A. echinatior and so far only known from Panama. As we already have a genome of the host, a new genome of the inquiline will likely shed light on the way in which social parasitism evolves via Emery's rule (i.e. by intraspecific social parasities becoming reproductively isolated). A. insinuator is special because it has retained part of the worker force, which suggests that it represents an incipient stage of inquiline evolution. This implies that highly interesting gene expression studies will be feasible once a reference genome has been obtained. Eusocial. social parasite (with workers) of Acromyrmex echinatior | |
| Tribolium freemani | Susan Brown | Nominated (07/05/2011) | 240 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism | This beetle genome is being sequenced to 30x coverage (illumina) (after 7 generations of inbreeding) for comparative studies with the closely related model organism Tribolium castaneum (same tribe) to identify CRMs. Additional genome coverage and RNA-seq data will be required to complete the assembly and annotation. Although the number of researchers currently working on T. freemani is small, the genome sequence is of interest to the entire T. castaneum community. |
| Calosoma scrutator | Duane D. McKenna | Nominated (08/09/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Fiery Searchers are large predaceous ground beetles (suborder Adephaga). They eat all kinds of lep larvae, and are major predators of Eastern Tent Caterpillars and European Gypsy Moth caterpillars. No adephagan genomes have yet been sequenced. A laboratory colony is available for DNA. | |
| Coleomegilla maculata | Margaret (Meg) L. Allen | Nominated (08/03/2011) | 200 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Laboratory rearing possible. Generalist predator (aphids, spider mites). Potential biological control agent. Non-target bioassay species. RNA has been collected, in -80 storage. Plans for cDNA sequencing. |
| Coccinella septempunctata | Eric O'Neill | Nominated (08/03/2011) | 322 | Agriculture, Systematics | Relevance Coccinella septempunctata (C7) is an excellent organism for both basic and applied research. The biology of C7 is better understood than any other coccinellid. C7 has been highly amenable to both field and laboratory research in population ecology1, reproductive biology2,3,4, aposematism5 , and chemical ecology6,7. C7 is a successfully introduced biological control agent for management of agricultural pests including aphids, white flies, and scale insects8 , but it has become invasive and is displacing native species in parts of its range1. As a member of Coleoptera, which contains more species than any other order of animals (about 25% of all life forms), C7 would add to our understanding of phylogenetic relationships especially among insects and beetles. Currently only a single species of Coleoptera (Tribolium castaneum) has been fully sequenced9. Feasibility Genome size of C7 is 322 MB10. Many samples are readily available, and an inbreed strain is under development at University of Kentucky. Genomic resources include 65,000 SNPs identified by Restriction Associated DNA11. O'Neill has experience with bioinformatics tools and is prepared to conduct genome assembly and annotation. Impact C7 plays an important role in the ecosystem as a top predator of the aphidophagus guild12. Currently, this species is widely distributed across many different ecosystems and communities in both native and introduced ranges13. Genomic data will be crucial to study how major environmental factors associated with this wide distribution, (e.g., temperature) affect selection, and potentially drive large-scale patterns of adaptation. The introduction history is one of the best characterized of any invasive species14,15, making C7 a potential model system for elucidating the relationships between propagule pressure, genomic diversity, and natural selection in successful introductions. Understanding these relationships is important for both basic research on invasive species, including interactions with native species that are being displaced and for the management of biological control agents in general1,4. For these reasons, obtaining a full genome from C7 would likely yield many benefits to both basic research on invasive species and applied research for biological control. C7 is an extremely tractable laboratory organism with an active research community. Therefore, information from the genome sequence will immediately be utilized in population genetic and ecological genetic studies. Contact Individuals Eric M. O'Neill, Department of Biology, University of Kentucky Yukie Kajita, Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky Citations 1Evans 2000 Eur J Entomol 97:469-474 2Hodek and Honek 1996 Kluwer Academic Pub, Dordrecht 3Kajita and Evans 2009 Physiol Entomol 34:185-194 4Kajita and Evans 2010 Biol Invasions 12:2293-2302 5Marples et al 1994 Anim Behav 48:967-974 6Sloggett et al 2009 Func Ecol 23:416-426 7Kajita et al 2010 Oecologia 163:313-322 8Obrycki and Kring 1998 Ann Rev Entomol 43:295-321 9Muzny et al. 2008 Nature 452:949-955 10Gregory et al. 2003 Hereditas 139:121-127 11O'Neill et al. in prep for Mol Ecol 12Dixon 2000 Cambridge Univ Press, Cambridge 13Krafsur et al. 2005 Eur J Entomol 102:469-474 14Angalet et al 1979 Environ Entomol 8:896-901 15Schaefer et al. 1987 Environ Entomol 16:368-373 |
| Euryaulax carnifex | Jason Cryan | Nominated (06/22/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Agriculturally important (in Australia); widespread distribution in northern Australia. Suitable genetic material easily obtainable; many EtOH-preserved specimens already in hand in NY State Museum Frozen Tissue Collection | |
| Drosophila subobscura | Esra Durmaz | Nominated (08/08/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | ||
| Zorotypus caudelli | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Polyneoptera - phylogenetic origin of the order Zoraptera is unknown - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn | |
| Rhynchophorus ferrugineus | Tiago Magalhaes | Nominated (06/16/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function | The Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is responsible for destroying palm trees all over Portugal and Spain. I am convinced that having its genome sequenced will be very important to strategies to fight it. I am a bioinformatician working in autism; I have worked at the University of the Algarve, in the South of Portugal and have experienced the massive devastation of the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. | |
| Wyeomyia smithii | William Bradshaw | Nominated (04/09/2011) | 900 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | 40 yr background in genetics, evolution, & biochronometry; 100+ pubs in Nature, Science, PNAS, Am Nat, Evolution, Genetics, et al. 'Poster child' for evolutionary response to climate change in News Focus related to 10th anniversary human genome (Science 231:107); 1st QTL map of photoperiodic response in any animal (Genetics 176:391; chosen from among all programs as one of 10 best representing NSF's mission in Discovery and Transformational Research in 2006). Genetic material available from 10,000+ animals from 12 lab populations collected in 2010 from Florida to Newfoundland. Current support: 3 NSF grants. Keystone species in pitcher-plant food web; focal organism for research groups studying ecological tipping points and food web dynamics |
| Cataglyphis cursor | Serge Aron | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | Cataglyphis cursor queenless workers are able to produce new male and female sexuals through parthenogenesis. Interestingly, queens also use parthenogenesis to produce new queens, while workers arise from fertilized eggs. Genome sequencing will allow investigating the molecular mechanisms triggering worker and queen parthenogenesis in this species. It will also serve as a reference for comparative studies with the other species of the genus, who display a wide variety of reproductive strategies. | |
| Chiastocheta rotundiventris | Laurence Despres | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Globeflower flies adaptive radiation is one of the few example of sympatric ecological speciation, with more than 8 sister species coexisting in sympatry on globeflowers. Chiastocheta rotundiventris is the most basal species and knowledge of its genome would pave the way to elucidating the genetic basis of ecological speciation. | |
| Grylloblatta bifratrilecta | Sean Schoville | Nominated (06/05/2011) | Systematics | Grylloblattids are an important taxa for understanding the diversification of neopteran lineages, as well as understanding the physiological adaptation of insects to extremely cold environments. Compared to other insects, they also have an extremely long lifespan (approaching 10 years) and slow development rate. While these insects are rare in entomological collections, there are several reliable and well documented populations in California. Fresh material can be collected during the appropriate season (early summer), consisting of dozens of adults (weighing several grams each). 100% ethanol preserved material is available from my personal collection. | |
| Lucilia sericata | George Peck, Aaron Tarone | Nominated (03/18/2011) | 700 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Medicine, Systematics | Flies from the Lucilia genus are important to: Forensics (forensic entomology), veterinary and medical entomology (myiasis), evolutionary biology (interesting paraphyly of mtDNA sequences when compared to L. cuprina that is not seen with nuclear sequences; some suggestions of hybridization between these species), agriculture (myiasis), medicine (it is the primary maggot therapy species), and ecology (decomposition ecology, ecology of ephemeral resource use, coexistence research). Flies in the family Calliphoridae also exhibit human associated phenotype evolution, unique sex determination mechanisms, caused USDA need to develop sterile male release (C. hominivorax) and exhibit numerous evolutionary adaptations (hairy maggots, parasitism of bird nests, predators of other blow fly larvae). This fly is the only FDA-approved medical device for wound debridement where no other therapy is working, including surgical debridement and antibiotics. The biochemistry behind its effectiveness as an agent to remove resistant bacteria, stimulate wound healing and immunomodulation of the human host is just beginning to be explored. A full genome would provide the foundation for future studies. |
| Menacanthus stramineus | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Systematics | Representative of Malophaga - ESTs will be sequenced witin 1KITE project - as parasite of chicken importance for agriculture, food safety - unusual environment for insect - suitable genetic material will be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn | |
| Stylops melittae | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | 160 | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Holometabola and the phylogenetic origin of the order Strepsiptera - unusual environment, since Stylops melittae females live as endoparasitoids in the body of sand bees - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. |
| Anasa tristis | Kent Shelby | Nominated (06/15/2011) | 1782 | Agriculture, Food Safety | The Squash bug is a major pest of squashes, pumpkins, zucchinis, watermelons, cucumbers and cantaloupes. Squash bug feeding causes extensive damage to stems resulting in wilting, fruit discoloration and pre/postharvest spoilage. Squash bugs transmit Cucurbit yellow vine disease now rapidly spreading through the west and Midwest. There are few effective biological agents or cultural practices for controlling this highly destructive pest aside from insecticides to which the species has evolved resistance. A continuous colony has been established a reference transcriptome assembled. Genome size estimates of squash bug adults from this colony were estimated to be 1726.29.2 Mb (_) and 1782.14.6 Mb (_) (Hanrahan & Johnston, pers. comm.). |
| Philanthus triangulum | Oliver Niehuis, ISIGC | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Inferring recent non-social ancestor in first major clade that evolved eusociality. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. natural predator of honeybees; economically important; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request Outgroup species; predator of Apis, Solitary | |
| Magicicada septendecim | Chris Simon | Nominated (07/27/2011) | 6500 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Model Organism: A rich Magicicada literature exists with more than 1000 papers referring to the genus (http://tmcnary.com/CicadaBibliography.htm). Periodical cicada research addresses diverse subjects including speciation, sexual selection, life history evolution, acoustics, predator/prey/symbiont/parasite interactions, nutrient cycling, bioaccumulation of heavy metals, water/ion regulation, thermoregulation, ecological patchiness, ecological determinants of animal distributions, response of trees to damage, etc. The unusual life cycles of periodical cicadas cry out for additional molecular study. The genetic basis of their extraordinary molecular clock is completely unknown. Even stranger is the fact that these cicadas are known to switch between 13 and 17-year lifecycles via 4-year jumps. This has happened at least three times in the last million years resulting in allochronic speciation. Agricultural Importance: Periodical cicadas have the longest life cycle from egg to adult of any insect and appear synchronously and periodically. They are probably the most unusual agricultural pest in that in any given orchard, adults appear only once every 13- or 17-years; however nearly every year periodical cicadas appear somewhere in the eastern US. Although infrequent in any one location, the effects are devastating. Female oviposition scars cause fruit laden branches to break. Millions of periodical cicada nymphs underground cause orchard decline. In forest ecosystems, periodical cicadas are major players in nutrient cycling and their periodic emergences provide a rich food source for above-ground predators. Comparative Genomics: The infraordinal classification of Hemiptera (plant sucking bugs plus true bugs) remains in dispute. Several labs are collecting transcriptomic data for these insects and relatives (lice, plant lice, thrips, etc.) The majority of data comes from sternorrhynchan Hemiptera (aphids, scale insects, and relatives) and from Heteroptera (true bugs). Many fewer members of the clade Auchenorrhyncha have been targeted and all of these are leafhoppers (Membracoidea). The groups Cicadoidea (cicadas), Cercopoidea (spittlebugs), and Fulgoroidea (plant hoppers) have not been selected. Sequencing at least one member of each of these key hemipteran groups would be important for comparative purposes. Genome Size: From the little information we have to date to date, hemipteran genome sizes appear typical of hemimetabolous insects (> 2000 Mb). The exceptions are aphids (400-800 Mb) and the body louse (105 Mb). Periodical cicadas have quite large genomes 6400-6600 Mb (Johnston & Hanrahan, unpubl.). Ironically, cicada obligate endosymbionts have the smallest genomes known (144kb)! Spittlebugs are the sister group of cicadas and also have exceptionally large genomes. Could this have something to do with the fact that both groups feed on xylem fluid and are heavily dependent on endosymbionts for essential amino acids? It would be interesting to compare the genome size increase in these hemiptera to the similar phenomenon in Orthopteran insect orders. Proposal: We suggest sequencing a 17-year cicada (Magicicada septendecim) because this life cycle is hypothesized to be the ancestral condition but if there is space, it would be really fascinating to sequence both a 13-year (Magicicada tredecim) and a 17-year cicada (Magicicada septendecim). We have plenty of fresh frozen tissue; these insects are large and we can easily get more than 10 ug of DNA from a single thorax (so as to rule out endosymbiont DNA or sperm in fertilized females). Alternatively, males could be sequenced and endosymbiont genomes parsed out. |
| Chrysomela tremulae | Yannick Pauchet | Nominated (07/12/2011) | Agriculture, Energy | ||
| Megoura viciae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Legume pest. Clone available | ||
| Helicoverpa assulta | Chen-Zhu Wang, Seung-Joon Ahn | Nominated (03/20/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | It is an agricultural pest in the Old World, a sibling species of Helicoverpa armigera but with a narrow host range specialized on Solanaceae. Two species also use the same two components as their sex pheromones but in reversed ratios. A colony is reared in my laboratory. | |
| Diabrotica virgifera | Thomas Sappington | Nominated (06/01/2011) | 2560 | Agriculture, Energy, Model Organism | The western corn rootworm is the worst pest of maize in the US, and continues to invade Europe. It has shown an exceptional ability to evolve resistance to chemical, cultural, and transgenic methods of management, and will likely be a pest on perrenial grasses grown as biofuels. The genome sequence will establish this insect as the translational genomics model for underground beetle pests. The ARS lab in Brookings, SD (NGIRL) has developed and maintains an inbred colony for use in sequencing. |
| Lasius neglectus | ISIGC, Xavier Espadaler | Nominated (06/15/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | If the monogynous Lasius niger is sequenced, many comparisons with the highly polygynous Lasius neglectus are allowed. Worker samples are obtainable along the year. Queens and males only in late spring. Eusocial. invasive, unicolonial | |
| Episyrphus balteatus | Urs Schmidt-Ott, IAGC | Nominated (03/29/2011) | 535 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Organic pest control; emmerging Evo-Devo model organism; model in chemical ecology; grown in the lab and commercially available; genetic material available. Represents close outgroup of schizophoran flies (including Drosophila) and marks important evolutionary transition in early development (reorganization of extraembryonic development and early patterning in flies). Living material available by capture every year. No rearing available. |
| Adelges laricis | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Important forest pest, especially infest the nurseries and young trees (larch and spruce). Host-alternating, form galls, oviparity in all generations. Closely related to Aphidoidea, could be basal for comparative genomics and may be useful for discussing the evolution of reproductive modes in aphids. | ||
| Solenopsis saevissima | Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | S. saevissima, native to S. America, is a monogynous species that is phylogenetically basal to 4 fire ant species having both monogyne and polygyne social forms. The differences in queen number and other phenotypes between the 2 social forms are caused by polymorphisms at a selfish supergene. Comparative genomics among the socially polymorphic and strictly monogynous fire ant species (7 proposed) and with the S. invicta reference genome will be revealing for selfish gene action, species invasiveness, social behaviour, and the evolution of polygyny. | |
| Graphocephala fennahi | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Representative of Cicadomorpha; pest species; ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Phryganea grandis | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Integripalpia, the major lineage of case building caddis flies - genome can likely be sequenced from single individual - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn | |
| Nilaparvata lugens | Kevin A. Shufran, Jedeliza Ferrater | Nominated (06/13/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | No. 1 pest of rice in World. Direct damage and vector of ""stunt"" viruses. found in SE Asia and as far North as Japan and Korea, and as far East as India and perpahs farther. Feeds in xylem, not phloem like aphids. Causes unique and diagnostic ""hopper burn"" injury. Plant resistance breaking biotypes. Biotypes reared in culture at IRRI, Los Banos, Philippines. Potential invasive species to US. Novel behaviours. Migratory. High N fertilizers and insecticide use causes increases in BPH fecundity and attributed to outbreaks. Insecticide resistance. Extensively studied. Associated stunt viruses extensively studied. -monophagous on rice -life cycle is 30 days -easy to culture in the lab -exhibits wing dimorphism (short-winged and long-winged. when nutrient resources are deficient and insect density high, this insect forms long-wings and migrate) -karyotype data (n=30) -genomic information of Brown planthopper (BPH) is unavailable. -37,000 high quality ESTs produced by Noda et al 2008. - numerous BPH outbreaks recorded in 1960s, 2005-2011. excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers and insecticides lead to increased fecundity - millions of hectares of rice fields damaged due to outbreaks which threatened food security | |
| Ceutorhynchus assimilis | Brian Rector | Nominated (07/07/2011) | Agriculture | 1. Induces galls on host plant by mechanical stimulation (oviposition). 2. Cryptic species? Host range (monophagous vs. polyphagous) differs among populations. 3. Monophagous population on Lepidium draba is being studied as weed biological control agent. Polyphagous populations are pests of cole crops. 4. Host plants (Brassicaceae) with interesting feeding stimulant/defense chemistry. Not easy to rear in lab but easy to collect in field (galls conspicuous); published genotyping studies (SSRs). | |
| Bactericera cockerelli | Blake Bextine, Joe Cicero, Cecilia Tamborindeguy | Nominated (04/14/2011) | 530 | Agriculture, Food Safety | Potato psyllids vector Liberibacter sp. that causes Zebra Chip, ZC, of potato; diseases of tomato, peppers and other solanaceas crops. Thus threatening one of the 12 main food crops feeding the world. ZC occurs in most potato productions areas in USA (NE, CO, KS, NM and CA) as well as New Zealand, Mexico, and Guatemala. This disease economically causes millions of dollars in losses to both potato producers and processors, as well as losses to fresh market and tablestock potato industries. An inbred Psyllid colony is currently maintained in the Bextine Laboratory at UTT, and available for suitable sequencing material. Major pest of solanaceous plants, native from Northern Mexico and Texas but invasive in New Zealand and Central America. Vector of bacterial pathogen causing Zebra Chip, devastating potato and other solanaceous crops. This species is emerging as a model to study bacterial plant pathogens-insect vectors, an understudied field, Under ""Additional Factors"", 'model species' should be included. B. cockerelli and its relative, the Asian Citrus Psyllid are two of a huge line of species that threaten, or have potential to threaten, crop and ornamental agriculture worldwide. B. cockerelli is easily reared and manipulated, its anatomy and behavior have been worked up. For these reasons, it stands to be the model species for this group of insect pests. The transcriptomes of salivary glands and alimentary canal, two organs of importance to disease transmission, are under compilation from the pooling of huge numbers of extirpations, and an elucidated genome would give them enormous leverage into determining histological and cytological processes that might be targeted for control. |
| Culex coronator | Anon | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Medicine | ||
| Spodoptera frugiperda | Rob Noad, Frederique Hiliou | Nominated (05/16/2011) | 407 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Medicine, Model Organism | Spodoptera frugiperda is a crop pest that causes major damage to wheat, rice and maize. In addtion it is the original source of the Sf9 and Sf21 cell lines that are used for expression of recombinant proteins worldwide using the baculovirus expression system. These cell lines are in continuous culture so obtaining sufficient source material for sequencing studies would not be a problem. The baculovirus system is of wide scientific use (773 hits for 'baculovirus' with results limited to the last 2 years) but currently only partial EST data is available for this species. While this is helpful it is by its nature incomplete and allows for only a very poor understanding of the genes encoded by this insect. |
| Apterostigma megacephala | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | The species Apterostigma megacephala is by far the most basally diverging lineage on the branch subtending the genus Apterostigma. It is arguably a separate genus because it is the result of a cladogenetic event that roughly coincided in time with the divergence of the paleoattine genera Mycocepurus and Myrmicocrypta. A. megacephala retains many plesiomorphic anatomical characters not found in other Apterostigma species. It is a formerly rare ant that had only been collected three times, once in southern Peru (3 specimens), once in Colombia (1 specimen) and once in eastern Amazonian Brazil (3 specimens), a surprisingly disjunct distribution. Populations of this species have recently been located near Belem by Sosa-Calvo, Lopes, and Schultz, and multiple nests collected. One of the many biological surprises of this species is that it is the only lower attine ant known to cultivate a higher attine (leafcutter) fungus. Due to its critical phylogenetic position, comparative genomic data from A. megacephala will be very important for understanding the early evolution of the fungus-growing behavior. | |
| Magicicada tredecim | Chris Simon | Nominated (07/27/2011) | 6500 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Periodical cicadas have the longest life cycle from egg to adult of any insect and appear synchronously and periodically. They are probably the most unusual agricultural pest in that in any given orchard, adults appear only once every 13- or 17-years; however nearly every year periodical cicadas appear somewhere in the eastern US. Although infrequent in any one location, the effects are devastating. Female oviposition scars cause fruit laden branches to break off and millions of periodical cicada nymphs underground have been shown to cause orchard decline. In addition to their agricultural interest, periodical cicadas are of ecological and evolutionary biological interest. The cicadas themselves have quite large genomes (6500-6600 Mb recently estimated by Spencer Johnston & Shawn Hanrahan), but their obligate endosymbionts have the smallest genomes known (144kb). Periodical cicadas are known to be major players in nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems and their unusual life cycles cries out for molecular study. The genetic basis of their extraordinary molecular clock and of their 13- versus 17-year life-cycle difference is completely unknown. Even stranger is the fact that these cicadas are known to switch between life cycles via 4-year jumps. This has happened at least three times in the last million years resulting in speciation due to allochrony. We suggest sequencing a 13-year cicada (Magicicada tredecim) because this life cycle is hypothesized to be the ancestral condition but if there is space, it would be really fascinating to sequence both a 13-year (Magicicada tredecim) and a 17-year cicada (Magicicada septendecim). We have plenty of fresh frozen tissue; these insects are large and we can easily get more than 10 ug of DNA from a single individual thorax (so as to rule out sperm or endosymbionts). |
| Cochliomyia hominivorax | Tatiana Torres | Nominated (03/18/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | Cochliomyia hominivorax (DIPTERA: Calliphoridae) is one of the most important insect pests in South and Central America. The larval stage of the fly infests tissues of warm-blooded vertebrates, causing significant losses in the livestock industry. It is also a public health problem in the Caribbean region, where screw-worm infestations in humans are frequently reported. C. hominivorax was successfully eradicated from North and most of Central America by the Sterile Insect Technique and it is a model for other SIT programs. In South America and in the Caribbean region this pest continues to affect the development of the livestock sector and we have detected insecticide resistance in several populations of this fly. We have just characterized transcripts from this species (Carvalho et al 2010, BMC Genomics 11:695) and we are comparing genome-wide expression profiles from insecticide resistant and susceptible populations. As a pilot for a genome project, we have produced a ver low coverage genome (~2x) and, based on the preliminary results, we are planing a new strategy to complete its genome. I believe it would be an important addition to the i5k initiative. | |
| Pemphigus obesinymphae | Patrick Abbot | Nominated (06/29/2011) | Agriculture | This aphid is distinct from the pea aphid, the genome of which was published recently. Unlike the pea aphid, it has a complex life cycle, attacking both poplars and crucifers. Moreover, Pemphigus obesinymphae is one of the few social aphids. Thus, this genome would address diverse and important areas of biology and entomology: from plant-insect biology (recall that the poplar genome is available), to evolutionary biology (being the first genome of a social aphid), ecological and community ecology (Tom Whitham has worked on the Pemphigus genus for years, and it has helped to develop his ""community genetics"" framework), and as pests on important cash crops, applied agricultural issues. They are common across North America, and readily available in abundant quantities, both across host plants and at various developmental stages. | |
| Macrosiphum euphorbiae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Tomato pest, avirulent and virulent clones available for Mi gene. | ||
| Gastrophysa viridula | Yannick Pauchet | Nominated (07/12/2011) | |||
| Pamphagus djelfensis | Naima Benkenana | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | ||
| Schizaphis graminum | Kevin A. Shufran | (06/13/2011) | 474 | Agriculture, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Live material is available. At least 13 different biotypes (phenotypes) maintained in colony at USDA-ARS. major pest of wheat, barley, oat, grain sorghum, and turf grasses. host range >70 species of grasses, including most grass crops. distribution: worldwide host plant resistance is major control tactic, but virulent biotypes render HPR ineffective. Vector of barley yellow dwarf virus. Variation in vector competence exists. holocyclic. can be bred in lab (sexual crosses). extensive literature available about this species. well studied. |
| Archaeopsylla erinacei | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of one of the major lineages within Siphonaptera - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Pineus cembrae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Important forest pest, typical for Pinus spp. of subsection Cembrae (cembra, pumila, koraiensis, sibirica), causing discoloration of needles, delay in growth, and sometimes death of whole young tree. Host-alternating, form galls, oviparity in all generations. Similar to the species above, basal for comparative genomics, useful for reproductive mode study, while representing another subfamily Pineinae. | ||
| Scolia hirta | ISIGC, Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Parasitoids; haploid males are aimed to sequence; genome can be sequenced from a single individual. Inferring recent non-social ancestor in second major clade that evolved eusociality. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. Outgroup species; ectoparasitoid, Solitary | |
| Tipula maxima | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Genome can be sequenced from two single individuals. Phylogenetic importance as one of the first splits in Diptera; important to infer groundplan of Diptera and Antliophora. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Hypolimnas bolina | Greg Hunt | Nominated (04/15/2011) | 330 | Model Organism | Genetic material readily available. Species has case of fastest known example of natural selection in field. As an island in habiting species, is an excellent model for evolutionary studies, with diversification of space in phenotype being able to be reconciled with genomic data. |
| Coboldia fuscipes | Urs Schmidt-Ott | Nominated (04/29/2011) | 101 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Minute genome size and therefore potentially importamnt for understanding genome evolution; emmerging model organism for evolutionary developmental biology; grown in the lab (higly inbred line available); genetic material available; wide occurence or cosmopolitan species. |
| Bombus terrestris | ISIGC, Bernard Vaissiere | Completed (06/19/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | This species is reared commercially and used in many countries to pollinate specific crops, especially tomatoes in greenhouses. It has many particuliar behavior while still being a close relative to Apis mellifera; also there is already a group working on its genome and headed by Dr. Paul Schmid-Hempel (ETH Zürich) Eusocial. eusocial evolution | |
| Pegoscapus hoffmeyeri | Carlos A. Machado | Nominated (04/07/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Figs and fig wasps constitute one of the most remarkable interactions between plants and animals. Fig pollinating wasps are fundamental members of tropical forests, because their interaction with figs forms a keystone mutualism fundamental for the survival of numerous species of frugivores. Fig wasps have been used as model systems in evolutionary ecology studies, and in plant-animal coevolutionary studies. Their natural history is extremely well known and they posses some remarkable behaviors (entrance of closed figs, collection of pollen grains in pockets in the thorax). The closest sequenced genome is that of Nasonia, but their most recent common ancestor is more than 150 My old. Progress in evolutionary genetic studies in this system has been hampered by lack of close genomic sequences. | |
| Brevicoryne brassicae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Brassica pest. Clone available | ||
| Aphaenogaster senilis | Raphael Boulay | Nominated (04/06/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | Aphaenogaster is a common genus worldwide. Like A. rudis in the US, A. senilis is a main ant seed disperser in western Europe. It is also a major aphid predator, be involved in biological pest control research programs. Colonies are easily produced in captivity, a rare fact in ants. Chemically, it is interesting for its Alkaloid secretions. Most importantly, it is a preferred biological model to study the developmental genetics of worker-queen polymorphism. | |
| Liriomyza trifolii | Scott Ferguson | Nominated (06/22/2011) | Agriculture | L. trioflii, a worldwide economically important pest of vegetables and ornamentals, is notorious for eventaully developing insecticide resistance to most insecticides used to control it. I have a research project to collect field and greenhouse strains from around the USA to determine the susceptibility/resistance to the major classes of chemistry currently used to control it (abamectin, cyromazine, spinosad, neonicotinoids and bisamides). For additional information see Fergsuon 2004 (J. Econ. Entomol. 97:112-119) and Ferguson & Pineda 2010 (J. Econ. Entomol.103(6): 2197-2203). | |
| Athalia rosae | Matsatsugu Hatakeyama | Library construction (08/02/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | No genome information of primitive hymenoptera (Symphyta, sawfly) is available vs higher suborder (Apocrita, Apis, Nasonia etc.). This species is a hymenopteran model maintained in laboratory through year. Tools such that transgenesis, systemic RNAi, artificial egg activation, artificial fertilization by cryopreserved sperm injection, etc. are established. DNA from a single haploid male (10-15 microgram/male) and from haploid offspring from a single mother (30-50 males) are available anytime. | |
| Trachymyrmex zeteki | ISIGC, Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | The genus Trachymyrmex is non-monophyletic, consisting of three distinct clades that form successively more inclusive sister groups to the remaining Trachymyrmex spp. and the leafcutting genera Atta and Acromyrmex. The most basally diverging of those three clades, i.e., the sister group to the remaining higher Attini, contains the T. jamaicensis, T. iheringi, and T. opulentus groups as well as the genus Sericomyrmex. Comparative genomic data from a member of this group, such as T. zeteki, will be very important for understanding the origin of higher attine agriculture. Eusocial. fungus farmer, less advanced symbiosis, singly mated queens | |
| Bemisia tabaci | Judith K. Brown | Nominated (03/18/2011) | 1200 | Agriculture, Systematics | The whitefly sibling species group Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is the most important whitefly pest worldwide, causing millions of dollars in damage by reducing crop (floricultural, horticultural, fiber) yields each year worldwide. It colonizes a large number of non-agricultural eudicot species, and is the sole insect vector for the largest known group of ssDNA plant viruses (genus Begomovirus) that infect endemic as well as cultivated plants. The group is so named because it is considered, but not demonstrated genetically or in any other satisfactory way to comprise a group of variously related strains (races, biotypes) and perhaps even closely related species. Members of the group are indistinguishable morphologically, making them difficult to control at the level of selective 'exclusion' (economic, regulatory), and also making them a fundamentally interesting group from an evolutionary standpoint since they can only presently be distinguished on the basis of a suite of phenotypes and an informative molecular marker. Phenotypic variation is manifest in differences in invasiveness, fecundity, host preference/range, long or short distance flight behavior, extent of reproductive isolation, suite of endosymbionts (some whose HSP aids in whitefly-mediated virus transmission), insecticide resistance, vector competency, and in ability to cause phytotoxic disorders caused solely by feeding. They are loosely 'identified' and categorized phylogeographically based on the mt-COI gene, the most informative of several molecular markers studied so far. Examination of microsatellites (STRs) and other population-informative loci (RAPDs, AFLPs) show concrete evidence of high genetic differentiation and complex population structure among and within clades. Tight phylogeographical distribution, high genetic differentiation, together with structure within populations are consistent with the ability of B. tabaci to adapt to a broad range of ecological environments spanning tropical, subtropical, and mild temperate climes around the globe. Whether phenotypic plasticity is driven by genome-level differentiation (mutation and corresponding evolutionary changes in protein coding), or at the physiological level e.g. modulation of gene expression, and/or epigenetic regulation is not known, but could be informed by sequencing and analysis of multiple exemplar genomes of this widely studied sibling species group. Furthermore, how associated endosymbionts (horizontally and vertically transmitted) contribute to plasticity or to adaptations that may require cooperative gene product interactions between the unrelated prokaryotic genomes and/or the eukaryotic (insect) genome, are entirely unstudied. Consequently, the B. tabaci sibling species group provides an exquisite model for elucidating gene networks and functional mechanisms that drive the phenotypic plasticity in this ancient whitefly group, at times leading to biotype formation, and likely also to recent speciation, in some instances. This new knowledge will open uncharted avenues toward understanding the genomic features that influence the evolutionary and population biology of insect sibling species, endosymbiont-host evolution, and virus-vector interactions. Knowledge gained will readily have application to understanding the genomics contributions to biology and evolution in other sibling species groups and complexes, both within and outside of the Hemiptera. The proposed effort would best be undertaken as a comparative one, involving sequencing multiple genomes (up to 10) of genetically and behaviorally divergent B. tabaci haplotypes worldwide. Note: I am willing to coordinate procurements of a diverse suite of B. tabaci biotypes and haplotypes representative of this sibling species group from different continents and (agro+) ecosystems. |
| Phorodon humuli | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Hop pest. Clone available | ||
| Venturia canescens | Xavier Fauvergue | Nominated (04/06/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | Venturia is a parasitoid wasp of pyralid moths. It is found in many places worldwide, it is easy to study in the field and to rear in the laboratory. It is therefore a model organism for a number of questions in population biology, evolutionary ecology, behavioral ecology, physiology, and genetics. One pecularity of Venturia canescens is the sympatric coexistence of sexual (arrhenotokous) and asexual (thelytokous) strains. Another one is single-locus complementary sex determination, a genetic constraint which as selected for mate choice based on genetic relatedness. At the moment, research on these different topics is considerably restrained by the poor knowledge of this species genome. | |
| Triops cancriformis | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Possible sister group to Hexapoda - living fossil - EST sequences available - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Chorthippus parallelus | Roger Butlin | Nominated (03/22/2011) | 10000 | Model Organism, Systematics | Chorthippus parallelus is an evolutionary model species, particularly for the study of hybrid zones and speciation but also for sexual selection (pre and post copulation), acoustic and chemical signal evolution, chromosomal evolution and concerted evolution. It is ecologically important as the most widespread and abundant grasshopper in Europe. It represents the Gomphocerinae, major radiation of acoustically signalling species. It also has a very large genome and so is interesting in the context of genome evolution. Samples are easy obtained but inbred lines are not available. |
| Litopenaeus vannamei | Nominated () | ||||
| Pissodes strobi | Christopher I. Keeling | (05/24/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function | The white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi Peck (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is the most serious and economically important native insect pest of spruce and pine regeneration in Canada. Distributed across Canada and the USA, this insect was first described in 1817 by W. D. Peck, a professor at Harvard University.In British Columbia and Alberta, the weevil primarily attacks Sitka (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.), white (P. glauca (Moench) Voss), and Engelmann spruce (P. engelmannii Parry), although black spruce (P. mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), Norway spruce (P. abies (L.) Karst), and occasionally lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia Engelm.) are also susceptible. This preference for spruce in the west has caused this insect to be occasionally referred to as the ""spruce weevil."" In eastern Canada, the weevil can be found on white pine (Pinus strobus L.), red pine (P. resinosa Ait.), jack pine (P. banksiana Lamb.), Scots pine (P. sylvestris L.), white spruce, red spruce (P. rubens Sarg.), black spruce, Norway spruce and Colorado blue spruce (P. pungens Engelm.). In the eastern USA, at least 20 different host species are mentioned including Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and pitch pine (P. rigida Mill.). In eastern Canada and the USA, it is considered that pure plantations of white pine and later Norway spruce have led to important population build up over the last century. (from http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/subsite/weevil) 11,089 Sanger ESTs have been generated for this insect (Keeling et al., unpublished) | |
| Plutella xylostella | ICIPE | Genome assembly (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa. | |
| Timema cristinae | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Polyneoptera; phylogenetic origin of order Phasmatodea is unknown. Representative of one one the first splits within Phasmatodea. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Genome can be sequenced from a single specimen. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Aphis craccivora | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Major pest of legumes in developing countries. Clone available | ||
| Pheidole megacephala | Denis Fournier, ISIGC | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function | The big headed-ant Pheidole megacephala is listed as one of the 100 worst invasive organisms by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Eusocial. invasive, worker polymorphism | |
| Bicyclus anynana | Antonia Monteiro | Nominated (03/18/2011) | 490 | Model Organism | Bicyclus anynana is a model organism in the field of eco-evo-devo. Research on this species ranges from inquiries into the developmental genetics of wing pattern specification, phenotypic plasticity of morphology and behavior (sex-role reversal in courtship behavior), hormone physiology, pheromone communication, life-history evolution, sexual imprinting on wing patterns, evolution of wing patterns and pheromone signaling across close relatives, and speciation. It is currently the only butterfly species for which we have transgenic technology. We have currently 200,000 ESTs available for genome annotation, a BAC library, and 11 fully sequenced BACs. We also have a gene-based linkage map with all 28 chromosomes represented. |
| Harmonia axyridis | ISIGC, Duane D. McKenna | Nominated (06/09/2011) | 332 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety | Now arguably the most common ""ladybug"" in N America. First introduced as a biocontrol agent, now established and invasive on 4 continents. Still increasing to the detriment of native ladybugs, some of which have nearly disappeared. A voracious predator of pest insects (e.g., aphids), but also a harmful predator of non-pest arthropods, a household invader, and a pest of fruit crops. Widely used in genetic studies. Ladybugs are among the most recognized and charismatic of insects (the state insect for 6 states). An isofemale line has been established for an ongoing genome project. Native to Asia but introduced to North America and in extremely large numbers. Considered a significant nuisance pest, it likely has significant effects on pest and wild aphid populations. |
| Forficula auricularia | Andrew Zink, ICIPE | Nominated (06/18/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | The European earwig has become a model system for studying the evolution of maternal care, parent offspring conflict and communication. It has also been a major study organism for investigating the evolution of alternative mating tactics and the evolution of extreme male weaponry in insects. In addition, it has been investigated as a potential biocontrol agent for orchard pests. | |
| Monomorium pharaonis | ISIGC, Duncan Jackson | Nominated (05/05/2011) | 300 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | Monomorium pharaonis is a major invasive pest ant species, which is also a model for understanding pheromone trail-based foraging. This species is unicolonial and it would be useful to perform comparative analysis with other unicolonial species and contrast with species not known to be unicolonial to gain insights into evolution of this lifestyle. M. pharaonis also synthesizes monomorines, which are alkaloid toxins with important medicinal uses. These toxins are well-known because they are sequestered from eaten ants and secreted by the skin of poison frogs. Genome analysis would elucidate the biosynthesis of these compounds. Eusocial. invasive; polygynous; can be reared in lab |
| Stephanus serrator | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Parasitoids; haploid males are aimed to sequence; genome can be sequenced from a single individual. Probable sister group to all other Apocrita: evolution of wasp-waisted species. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Loxosceles arizonica | Greta Binford | Nominated (06/22/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Loxosceles spider bites cause >2000 serious medical problems annually. They are a model lineage for venom evolution and L. arizonica is an extensively studied species. Loxosceles has a unique medically important toxin, sphingomyelinase D (SMase D). We have also discovered at least 21 distinct classes of peptide neurotoxins in this species. With genomic sequence we will be able to better understand evolutionary dynamics of this toxic arsenal. As Haplogynes they are divergent from other well-studied spiders. Their genome could transform for our understanding of spider evolution. | |
| Leptopilina heterotoma | Shubha Govind, Todd Schlenke, Balint Kacsoh | Nominated (03/28/2011) | 400 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Food Safety, Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Leptopilina heterotoma is a parasitic wasp that infects members of the genus Drosophila. Several lab groups are trying to establish it as a model system for host-paraite interactions between eukaryotes in general, and for parasitic wasp biology in particular, as parasitic wasps are our most important (non-Bacillus) biological control organism. 1. It is a generalist parasitoid of Drosophila spp. 2. Genome sizes and karyotypes are known. 3. cDNA libraries of L. heterotoma venom gland available for FISH and physical mapping of its chromosomes. 4. Its fly host, Drosophila, is the best characterized insect. Sequencing of L. heterotoma will be of broad interest as many entomologists utilize genomic and other resources developed by the Drosophila community. 5. Resources in the Drosophila community can be leveraged to support continued progress of the project. 6. D. suzukii infects pears and peaches in the US. L. heterotoma can be used for biocontrol. L. heterotoma is a parasitic wasp. I have done research with it and have found that it is a generalist across the genus Drosophila--it can successfully infect many different species across the phylogeny. Thus, it is a unique parasite and it would be very beneficial to sequence its genome. |
| Sitobion avenae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Cereal pest. Clone available. | ||
| Neelus sp. | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Symphypleona, Collembola, to resolve the phylogeny of apterygote hexapods, possible sister group to remaining Symphypleona, one of the smallest springtails. Springtails are amongst the smallest but most successful animals and most abundant hexapods in the world. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Lipaphis erysimi | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Brassica pest. Clone available | ||
| Solenopsis xyloni | Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | S. xyloni, native to N. America, is a monogynous species that is phylogenetically basal to 4 fire ant species having both monogyne and polygyne social forms. The differences in queen number and other phenotypes between the 2 social forms are caused by polymorphisms at a selfish supergene. Comparative genomics among the socially polymorphic and strictly monogynous fire ant species (7 proposed) and with the S. invicta reference genome will be revealing for the evolution of polygyny, social behaviour, selfish gene action, and species invasiveness. | |
| Scutigera coleoptrata | Oliver Niehuis, Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/15/2011) | 2140 | Systematics | Important taxon for outgroup comparison - representative of Chilopoda - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. Part of the Pfrender list |
| Ephemera danica | Catherine Boisneau | Selected (05/04/2011) | Ecosystem Function | this is a very common insect from freshwater benthos in europe and, with some others it is used to evaluate water quality | |
| Hypothenemus hampei | Fernando E. Vega | Nominated (06/18/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety | The coffee berry borer is the most devastating pest of coffee throughout the world, causing more than $500 million in losses yearly. It occurs in ALL coffee producing countries throughout the world, severely reducing yields and negatively affecting the economies of coffee growers and coffee-producing nations. Sequencing the genome of the coffee berry borer would allow to better understand its biology and might open novel mechanisms to manage the insect. I have been conducting coffee berry borer research since 1996 and can provide specimens as needed from various countries or from my laboratory colony. | |
| Tegeticula cassandra | Olle Pellmyr | Nominated (04/05/2011) | 394 | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Yucca moths are major models in studies of coevolution, extensively studied for manifesting specific complex behavior for pollen collection and subsequent pollination of host plant (to create food substrate for its seed-eating larval progeny). Excellent example of evolutionary novelty, with unique novel mouthparts used for pollen gathering and deposition. Members of the basal lepidopteran Monotrysia (for which no genomic resources for any other taxa exist), they represent a key position for understanding early diversification in one of the fourth most species-rich orders of all Insecta. Extensive adult and larval material available in several labs, and can be readily expanded as needed for analytical purposes. Congeneric taxa have independently twice lost pollen behavior and associated physical traits and permit extensive analysis of physical and behavioral trait gains and losses. |
| Nasonovia ribisnigri | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Lettuce pest. Clone available | ||
| Gryllus pennsylvanicus | Shelley Adamo | Nominated (04/11/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | G. pennsylvanicus is commonly used in behavioural ecology studies (e.g. S. Bertram, B. Cade). It has a large range across North America and will be useful for studies examining the effects of climate change on temperate zone insects (Adamo, in prep). Also, if genomes existed for the related species G. texensis and G. bimaculatus, the genomes and behaviour of all 3 species could be compared. | |
| Eurosta solidaginis | Brent Sinclair | Nominated (03/21/2011) | Medicine, Model Organism | Eurosta solidaginis overwinters in diapause as a freeze tolerant prepupa. Its abundance and easy collection mean that it has been a model for a variety of experiments on metabolic suppression, overwintering ecology and freeze tolerance for nearly a century. Currently, four main groups work on freeze tolerance in this species (Lee, Miami; Storey, Carleton; Sinclair, U Western Ontario; Denlinger, Ohio State) as well as several successful research programmes at smaller, undergraduate-focussed institutions. In addition, E. solidaginis is of interest form population genetics and host-race perspectives (several active research groups), and is commonly used in a variety of undergraduate projects throughout NE North America. E. solidaginis is biologically interesting for several reasons: 1) It has an intense diapause (metabolic suppression) over winter. 2) It is freeze tolerant, surviving internal ice formation, intracellular ice formation and very low temperatures (some survival at -80 degC). 3) it is highly desiccation-resistant. 4) as a gall-former, it has interesting interactions with its host plant to form galls. 5) there are several host races corresponding to different species/population of its host plant, Solidago. | |
| Ips pini | Dezene Huber | Nominated (07/11/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Energy | A modest EST database exists for this insect. | |
| Acerentomon sp. | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Selected (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Protura, key taxon to resolve the origin of hexapods. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Dendroctonus frontalis | Dezene Huber | Nominated (07/11/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Energy | A very good EST database exists for this insect (via the DOE JGI). | |
| Frankliniella occidentalis | William Kirk, Thomas German, ICIPE | Selected (03/20/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Major worldwide pest and virus vector, apparently with cryptic species. Species easy to culture and easily available. Important pest species in Africa. | |
| Aedes sollicitans | Lena Brattsen, Chansak Suwanchaichinda, Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/02/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | - Aedes sollicitans is a bridge vector of the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus between birds and mammals. The mosquito is abundant along the east coast of the U.S. - The mosquito is available from Brattsten's lab. Subgenus Ochlerotatus, hopefully representative of this large subgenus | |
| Pimpla turionellae | Ender Buyukguzel | Nominated (06/29/2011) | Agriculture | ||
| Metridia longa | Prem Raj Pushpakaran | Nominated (07/13/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Food Safety, Model Organism, Systematics | indicator of water quality, role in energy distribution in pelagic ecosystem | |
| Solenopsis quinquecuspis | Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | S. quinquecuspis is native to and easily collected in South America. It is 1 of 4 fire ant species known to have both monogyne and polygyne social forms. Remarkably, the differences in queen number and other phenotypes between the 2 social forms are caused by polymorphisms at a selfish supergene. Comparative genomics among the socially polymorphic and strictly monogynous fire ant species (7 proposed) and with the S. invicta reference genome will be revealing for selfish gene action, species invasiveness, social behaviour, and the evolution of polygyny. | |
| Goliathus giganteus | Chris Elvin | (06/02/2011) | Energy, Medicine | larvae and adults are available from equatorial africa. these are the largest flying insects known (90g) and knowledge of proteins involved in the mechanics of flight would be valuable for developing materials and devices for industry and medicine | |
| Lightiella sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Together with Remipedia, possible sister group of Hexapoda - important to infer the origin of hexapods - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Trichogramma pretiosum | Richard Stouthamer | DNA received (08/03/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | Trichogramma pretiosum is a tiny egg parasitoid that is released by the millions as a biological control agent in Central and South America and to a lesser extent in North America and Asia, it is under consideration for the control of Tomato pests in Europe. It occurs naturally in North and South America, it has established in Australia and on islands in the Pacific. Several other Trichogramma species are also used in biological control and these are closely related to T. pretiosum. T. pretiosum has a short lifecyle of 11 days at 25 degrees Celcius and can be maintained on the eggs of the grainmoth Ephesia kuehniella. Eggs of this moth species can be acquired through commercial suppliers. Because of their small size many different cultures can be maintained in a small space, we maintain our Trichogramma cultures in glass vials of 10cm*1.5cm. In addition to its importance in biological control of lepidopteran pests, it is also very interesting because some populations are completely asexual because of an infection with Parthenogenesis Inducing Wolbachia. The age of these completely infected populations varies and their prolonged asexual reproduction has led to a decay in traits involved in sexual reproduction. For instance in the asexual populations from Peru females have lost the ability to fertilize their eggs, while males- when produced by antibiotic treatment- still are sexually functional. In some Hawaiian populations of this species- males when they are produced by antibiotic treatment - appear to be completely sterile. Having a genome of a sexual form of this species sequenced will allow us to determine the genes that are affected when a population becomes completely asexual, by later comparing the genome of asexual forms to that of the sexual form. Many labs mailntain populations of Trichogramma pretiosum, in our lab we maintain a large number of highly inbred lines that originate from California and have been inbred by sibmating for 9 generations. These parasitoid wasps are tiny but sufficient material for sequencing can be generated within a month. | |
| Agrodiaetus fulgens | Vladimir Lukhtanov | Nominated (06/24/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | It has one of the highest chromosome numbers in animals (2n=216). Its study is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of rapid genome evolution, including the role of mobile elements. It diverged from morphologically very different A. fabressei only few thousand years ago. Therefore, it would be easy to study the genes related to speciation by comparison of their genomes. It has blue male wing color, but A. fabressei is brown. Thus, it would be very easy to study the genetic basis of male color change and female preference (genetically linked?) by comparing to A. fabressei. The species is easy to obtain in Spain, also in Barcelona. | |
| Eurytemora affinis | Carol Eunmi Lee | Nominated (08/15/2011) | 294 | Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Medicine, Systematics | We nominate the copepod ''Eurytemora affinis'' for comprehensive genome sequencing. Copepods are the most abundant metazoans on the planet, and critically important in aquatic ecosystems as main grazers of algae and food source for major global fisheries. ''Eurytemora affinis'' is a common coastal copepod considered important as a waterborne disease vector (cholera, etc). Despite serious impacts of waterborne infectious diseases, few studies have focused on reservoirs of such diseases. Copepods are a relatively basal group within the subphylum Crustacea, yet no comprehensive genome sequence exists for any copepod. Full transcriptome sequencing is currently being performanced by the laboratories of Drs. Carol Lee (University of Wisconsin) and Joana Silva (Institute for Genome Sciences). Genetically inbred lines (30 generations of inbreeding) are available for 5 genetically distinct populations. ''E. affinis'' can be reared in the laboratory, unlike many other calanoid copepods (e.g. ''Calanus''), and large quantities of tissue, particularly from inbred lines, can be obtained for genome sequencing. |
| Pachypsylla venusta | Daniel Sloan | Library construction (08/12/2011) | 724 | Model Organism | Pachypsylla venusta is a model for the study of host-symbiont metabolic interactions and extreme genome reduction in intracellular bacteria. Also, its gall-forming life history makes it valuable for comparison to other nominated non-galling psyllids. The species is being studied in the laboratory of Nancy Moran at Yale University, which could provide a source for DNA as well as transcriptome data to aid in genome annotation efforts. |
| Nannochorista sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Holometabola and Antliophora. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Scaphoideus titanus | Xavier Foissac | (04/07/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | Eggs collected on grapevine in February are easily hatched to nymphs and hundreds of adults can be produced | |
| Thrips palmi | Somsak Likhitirattanap | Nominated (06/22/2011) | Agriculture | Cotton thrips is one of the most serious pest in agricultural industries. It damages economically-important plants of many different families. | |
| Sitophilus oryzae | Abdelaziz Heddi, Yannick Pauchet | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Agriculture, Energy, Food Safety, Model Organism | The cereal weevil Sitophilus is among the most cereal devastators and causes huge agriculture and economic damages, particularly in developing countries. One of the strategy we are using to develop new control methods against this pest is to unravel molecular and cellular interactions between weevils and their nutritional endosymbionts. While, we have made many sequences on this model (endosymbiont whole genome, many ESTs from Sitophilus, many new libraries are being sequenced with NGS), the sequence the whole genome of Sitophilus is important for following reasons: - Sitophilus species are economical and agriculturally highly important (until 40% of cereal destruction in developing countries) - Sitophilus is an original model for studying symbiosis (recent age of endosymbiosis, efficient immune response to symbiont and pathogens,...) - New technologies have been settled on this model such as RNAi gene silencing - Sitophilus belongs to the Curculionoidea, which is the most species rich super family in insect. While the coleopteran order is the most divers animal group (more than 50% of animal species belong to this group) only one species (Tribolium castaneum) was sequenced so far. | |
| Capnodis tenebrionis | Carmelo Peter Bonsignore | Nominated (07/15/2011) | Agriculture | Capnodis tenebrionis is a long lived coleoptera. The emerging pest, of stone fruit orchards, shows a strong adaptability to the area with a higher average temperature. Future strategies of containment of the species must take into account to this seasonal plasticity trait, dependent on the environmental conditions that allow the beetle to move towards new areas with optimal conditions for its spreading. | |
| Culicoides imicola | Claire Garros, Yuval Gottlieb | Nominated (07/07/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Medicine, Systematics | Culicoides is a genus of biting midges in the subfamily Ceratopogonidae. Around 1500 species of Ceratopogonidae are at present placed in the genus and this is split into many subgenera. Several species are known to be vectors of various diseases and parasites which can affect animals. Specifically, two main short-listed disease by OIE : bluetongue, emerging disease for europe that leaded to the main sanitary crisis in europe for small ruminants and african horse sickness, highly lethal disease for horses, at risk of emegence for europe Culicoides colonies available at IAH (UK), Cresa (Spain) Culicoides imicola is a significant proven vector of several arboviruses (such as bluetongue virus and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus) that have greatenormous economic and animal welfare impact in the Mediterranean, Europe and Africa. The ecology and epidemiology of Culicoides borne diseases are being investigated in several aspects in order to develop adequate control. Sequencing the genome of C. imicola will provide essential information for the understanding of specific virus-vector interactions. This knowledge can later be used for developing future strategies to reduce the vectorial capacity of C. imicola, and as a consequence the outcome of the diseases it transmits. | |
| Mycetarotes parallelus | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Consisting of four species, the genus Mycetarotes is the sister group to all of the Neoattini except Kalathomyrmex. Mycetarotes species grow lower attine leucocoprineaceous fungi from both cultivar Clades 1 and 2. M. parallelus is widely distributed in wet forests of Brasil and Argentina. Given the critical phylogenetic position occupied by the genus, comparative genomic data from a Mycetarotes species will be important for understanding the early evolution of attine agriculture. | |
| Phratora vulgatissima | Peter Dalin | Nominated (06/21/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism | The species is a pest in willow bioenergy plantations in northern and central Europe. The beetles feed on the leaves of willow plants and population outbreaks cause plant growth reductions and economic loss. Research is being done about local adaptations to climate and day-length conditions in Europe. Populations in plantations behave differently in terms of day-length responses compared with populations from natural willow habitats. The beetles produce more generations per year in plantations. There are also latitudinal variations in seasonal adaptations to temperature and day-length. | |
| Gasteruption tournieri | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Parasitoids; haploid males are aimed to sequence; Possible sister group to Aculeata: inferring genome of non-stinging ancestor of Aculeata. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. representative of the most likely sister group of Aculeata; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Manduca sexta | Jan Veenstra | Nominated (06/18/2011) | Model Organism | Manduca sexta is very extensively used as Lepidopteran model | |
| Curculio caryae | Chris Mattison | Nominated (08/02/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety | Pecan weevil is widespread and a key pest of Pecan and Hickory trees. They infest nuts prior to maturation and can easily be spread in-shell to new locations. DNA can be easily extracted and purified for sequencing. Characterization of the Pecan weevil genome will benefit growers, suppliers, and consumers. | |
| Bathynomus giganteus | Chris Coldren | Nominated (06/16/2011) | Systematics | it is believed that giant isopods are giant because of cellular gigantism. Understanding the genetics of cellular gigantism could allow scientists to develop other giant creatures, such as ants (for horror movies) or butterflies (transportation). I do not know of the availability of DNA. | |
| Euscelidius variegatus | Xavier Foissac | Nominated (04/07/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | This insect is grown at INRA Bordeaux and thousands of specimen are vailable | |
| Aedes albopictus | Daniel Lawson, David Roiz, Patrick Mavingui, Laurence Despres | Library construction (04/04/2011) | 1200 | Ecosystem Function, Medicine, Model Organism | Aedes albopictus is the vector of several severe human diseases (dengue, chikungunia). It is an Asian species currently invading the world and responsible for epidemic waves of viral fevers in newly colonized areas. Genetic material is available from all the recently colonized areas as well as from the native regions. The most current worldwide invider mosquito involved in the transmission of serveral arboviroses, including dengue and chikungunya viruses. Aedes albopictus will provide an excellent model for investigating multipartite interactions host-pathogen-symbionts in vectorial pathosystem. |
| Hepialus humuli | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Representative of Exoporia, the sister group of Ditrysia (and few others) within Neolepidoptera; allows reconstructing groundplan features of Neolepidoptera. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | ||
| Lobesia botrana | Maarten van Helden, Suat Sav | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety | - Population dynamics, host range and host prefernce seem very different among regions. - Landscape ecology largely studied but no data on genetic structure available. - Mating disruption (available since 30 years) seems to have different success levels in different area's - Pest Insect introduced very recently (< 5 years) in US and Chili. - Populations are easily available from different areas. | |
| Allonemobius socius | Jeremy L. Marshall | Nominated (07/21/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | The Allonemobius socius complex, which includes A. socius, A. fasciatus, and A. sp. nov. Tex, has been an important and well-studied non-model insect species. An overview of the important points are below: (1) 127 publications since 1980 (2) >3,700 citations from these publications (data from Google Scholar) (3) Used to study ... i. Evolutionary Biology (77 publications) ii. Ecology (50 publications) iii. Evolutionary Genetics (42 publications) iv. Physiology (40 publications) v. Behavior (38 publications) (4) A model for rapid evolution of new species and postmating, prezygotic isolation (5) A well-studied system for the novel nuptial feeding behavior (6) Several genomic tools already in place including ... i. RNAi has been done successfully ii. EST libraries (based on 454 sequencing) for ...a. Female reproductive tract (168,690 sequences) b. Male testis (144,416 sequences) c. Male ACG (37,521 sequences) iii. Several linkage maps have been generated (7) Significant NSF funding since the early 1980s Lastly, we can provide suitable genetic material. | |
| Aphis glycines | Raman Bansal, IAGC | Nominated (07/26/2011) | 500 | Agriculture, Food Safety | Soybean aphid has become the most damaging pest of soybean crop in north America. Soybean pest. Clones currently maintained as colonies; could potentially be bred to limit heterozygosity |
| Periplaneta americana | Frederic Libersat, Juan Pablo Couso | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Food Safety, Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Periplaneta americana is a model organism for the study of evolution of development in short-germ band insects and for the study of limb regeneration; also for the study of behaviour. It is also the focus of study on its own right as a pest and a allergenic source. An EST collection exists and RNASeq data may follow. | |
| Siro rubens | Gonzalo Gribet | Nominated (03/21/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | I can provide live specimens of this species, which belongs to a group or soil arthropods that evolved ca. 400 Ma | |
| Spodoptera exigua | Inga Mewis, Stineke van Houte | Nominated (03/25/2011) | 430 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | This organism is an important pest insect. It is also used often as a model organism to study interactions between baculoviruses and their caterpillar hosts, as it is easy to rear uner laboratory conditions. There are also several often-used cell lines that are derived from this organism, which aid in understanding the molecular details of baculovirus-host interactions. Spodoptera exigua is an important generalist pest species especially in the tropics. |
| Alphitobius diaperinus | Herve Colinet | Nominated (04/15/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), an insect of tropical origin is spreading in temperate regions, it infests stored products and is the most abundant beetle inhabiting litter and manure in turkey, broiler and egg houses. This beetle is known as a potential reservoir for many pathogens. Ethological adaptations characterize cold survival of this species in temperate regions. | |
| Callosobruchus maculatus | ICIPE, Chris Beck, Goran Amqvist, Brian Inouye | Nominated (03/18/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism | C. maculatus is a major general pest of legume crops and causes a loss of human food resources of globally very signiifcant proportions. It is also an important model system in many areas of evolutionary biology and ecology, as well as having agricultural importance. We will be carrying out a preliminary genome sequence using Illumina sequencing this summer. The purpose is to develop sequence data for education. | |
| Oncopeltus fasciatus | Ariel Chipman, Hsiao-Ling Lu | Nominated (07/11/2011) | 975 | Agriculture, Model Organism | Oncopeltus was a main model organism for biochemistry and physiology for many years, and is still in use for those purposes by some groups. Lately it has become one of several new evo-devo models. It branches at the base of the holometabolous radiation and proves to be very convenient as a lab animal for embryology. RNAi and in situ are established, and a preliminary transcriptome has been published. It is also a (minor) crop pest. |
| Tapinoma melanocephalum | Somsak Likhitrattanap | Nominated (06/22/2011) | Food Safety | ||
| Euroleon nostras | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Holometabola and Neuropterida. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Genome can be sequenced from a single specimen. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Magicicada cassini | Chris Simon | (08/05/2011) | 6700 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Model Organism: A rich Magicicada literature exists with more than 1000 papers referring to the genus (http://tmcnary.com/CicadaBibliography.htm). Periodical cicada research addresses diverse subjects including speciation, sexual selection, life history evolution, acoustics, predator/prey/symbiont/parasite interactions, nutrient cycling, bioaccumulation of heavy metals, water/ion regulation, thermoregulation, ecological patchiness, ecological determinants of animal distributions, response of trees to damage, etc. The unusual life cycles of periodical cicadas cry out for additional molecular study. The genetic basis of their extraordinary molecular clock is completely unknown. Even stranger is the fact that these cicadas are known to switch between 13 and 17-year lifecycles via 4-year jumps. This has happened at least three times in the last million years resulting in allochronic speciation. Agricultural Importance: Periodical cicadas have the longest life cycle from egg to adult of any insect and appear synchronously and periodically. They are probably the most unusual agricultural pest in that in any given orchard, adults appear only once every 13- or 17-years; however nearly every year periodical cicadas appear somewhere in the eastern US. Although infrequent in any one location, the effects are devastating. Female oviposition scars cause fruit laden branches to break. Millions of periodical cicada nymphs underground cause orchard decline. In forest ecosystems, periodical cicadas are major players in nutrient cycling and their periodic emergences provide a rich food source for above-ground predators. Comparative Genomics: The infraordinal classification of Hemiptera (plant sucking bugs plus true bugs) remains in dispute. Several labs are collecting transcriptomic data for these insects and relatives (lice, plant lice, thrips, etc.) The majority of data comes from sternorrhynchan Hemiptera (aphids, scale insects, and relatives) and from Heteroptera (true bugs). Many fewer members of the clade Auchenorrhyncha have been targeted and all of these are leafhoppers (Membracoidea). The groups Cicadoidea (cicadas), Cercopoidea (spittlebugs), and Fulgoroidea (plant hoppers) have not been selected. Sequencing at least one member of each of these key hemipteran groups would be important for comparative purposes. The genomes of the two endosymbiont species obligate to Magicicada are being sequenced by John McCutcheon and he has volunteered to annotate the Magicicada genes involved in endosymbiont interactions. Genome Size: From the little information we have to date to date, hemipteran genome sizes appear typical of hemimetabolous insects (> 2000 Mb). The exceptions are aphids (400-800 Mb) and the body louse (105 Mb). Periodical cicadas have quite large genomes 6400-6600 Mb (Johnston & Hanrahan, unpubl.). Ironically, cicada obligate endosymbionts have the smallest genomes known (144kb)! Spittlebugs are the sister group of cicadas and also have exceptionally large genomes. Could this have something to do with the fact that both groups feed on xylem fluid and are heavily dependent on endosymbionts for essential amino acids? It would be interesting to compare the genome size increase in these hemiptera to the similar phenomenon in Orthopteran insect orders. Proposal: We suggest sequencing a trio of periodical cicada species for comparative purposes. The first two have already been suggested: Magicicada septendecim (Linnaeus' 17-year cicada) and Magicicada tredecim (Riley's 13-year cicada). We now suggest the third member of the trio, Fisher's 17-year cicada (Magicicada cassini). Judging from mtDNA, this species is approximately 7-8% (uncorrected p-distance) from the -decim species (diverged ca. 3-4 Mya). These could be compared to a trio of Drosophila species with similar degrees of divergence. Magicicada cassini (like its sibling species M. tredecassini) is slightly smaller than its congeners M. septendecim and M. tredecim. M. cassini is often found sympatrically with other species that share its lifecycle and year of emergence. In the Midwestern US, it is the most common periodical cicada and in Oklahoma and Texas, it is the only species of periodical cicada. Ecologically, it is most abundant in river valleys and other wet lowland forests. A comparison of the three species could reveal interesting aspects of the evolution of periodicity. For example, we hypothesize that the two M. -cassini species originated allopatrically from the M. -decim species and later joined pre-existing year-classes of the M. -decim species. We have plenty of fresh frozen tissue; these insects are large (only slightly smaller than the larger -decim species) and we can easily get more than 10 ug of DNA from a single thorax (so as to rule out endosymbiont DNA or sperm in fertilized females). Alternatively, males could be sequenced and endosymbiont genomes parsed out. 17-year cicadas will be out every May and June for the next 10 years in a row in the Eastern US. |
| Coptotermes formosanus | ISIGC, Matt Tarver | Nominated (06/15/2011) | 926 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. soldier, worker, Pest Eusocial: intermediate |
| Tribolium madens | Susan Brown | Nominated (07/05/2011) | 260 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism | This beetle genome is being sequenced to 30x coverage (illumina) (after 5 generations of inbreeding) for comparative studies with the closely related model organism Tribolium castaneum (same tribe) to identify CRMs. Additional genome coverage and RNA-seq data will be required to complete the assembly and annotation. Although the number of researchers currently working on T. madens is small, the genome sequence is of interest to the entire T. castaneum community. |
| Pamphagus cristatus | Naima Benkenana | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | ||
| Campodea augens | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Campodeidae, one of few current families, Diplura. Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of apterygote hexapods. Important for soil ecology. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Frankliniella parvula | Pedro Saul Castillo Carrillo | Nominated (06/16/2011) | Agriculture | ||
| Metopolophium dirhodum | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Cereal pest. Clone available | ||
| Paratrechina longicornis | ISIGC, Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | 177 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | The longhorn crazy ant Paratrechina longicornis is a highly invasive agricultural and household pest throughout the tropics and subtropics, and a pervasive indoor pest in temperate areas. This ant has a unique reproductive system: Sterile workers develop from sexual reproduction between queens and males, but queens are clones of their mothers, and males are clones of their fathers. The maternal and paternal gene pools are thus separate, which eliminates the costs of inbreeding. This genetic system likely facilitated the establishment of the crazy ant as an invasive species. Eusocial. invasive, clonal males & queens |
| Orussus abietinus | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Parasitoids; haploid males are aimed to sequence; genome can be sequenced from a single individual. Inferring changes associated with transition from phytophagous to parasitoid life history. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; sister group of megadiverse Apocrita; allows inferring the genome of the first parasitic Hymenoptera; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Myrmicocrypta infuscata | Ted Schultz | Nominated (06/23/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | Some attine systematists believe that the ancestral attine may have looked very much like a member of the genus Myrmicocrypta. M. infuscata is native to South America. It is perhaps the only species in the genus that constructs its nests in rotten logs; all other species in the genus are known to nest in subterranean cavities excavated in the soil. This species has been commonly collected in rain forests in the Amazon Basin and the Guiana Shield. Colonies usually contain 200-500 individuals. Comparative genomic data from a representative of the genus Myrmicocrypta will be critical for understanding the early evolution of the Attini and the Paleoattini. | |
| Formica exsecta | ISIGC, Stephen Martin | Nominated (05/12/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | Formica exsecta is a model organism for studying recognition cues, inbreeding, immunity and aging. It is found throughout Europe and has been the subject of around 50 published studies, many which include the Finnish population that has been studied for over 20 years. As part of study of maintenance of recognition cues the transcriptome was sequenced in 2009 and the information has been used in 4 large genetic studies linked with recognition systems since other groups are studying the biochemical pathways that underlie the recognition system which is known in this species. Eusocial. demography model system, socially polymorphic, nestmate recognition | |
| Cotesia glomerata | Hans Smid, Louise Vet | Nominated (08/05/2011) | 280 | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | Cotesia glomerata is a parasitic wasp and an important natural enemy of cabbage lepidopteran pests of the cabbage whites. In addition, since the 1980's it is an intensively studied model species for a broad range of research areas: biological control, ecology (behavioral, chemical, population and community), evolution, behavior (foraging, mating, egg-laying), molecular biology, genetics, neurobiology, learning and memory, sex determination, physiology, sensory physiology (olfaction, gustation, vision, mechanosensation), biosystematics/taxonomy. In all cases knowledge on the link between genotype and phenotype will provide enormous added value. This species has a near worldwide distribution, originating from the Old World, it has been introduced into Japan and North America to combat the small cabbage white. Many groups, worldwide, conduct research on this species. We can deliver genetic material anytime! |
| Dendroctonus pseudotsugae | Dezene Huber | Nominated (07/11/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Energy | This insect is an economic pest of Douglas fir (and sometimes larch). It is very easy to get genetic material. | |
| Asellus aquaticus | Meredith Protas | Nominated (04/08/2011) | 2000 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Asellus aquaticus is a very common isopod crustacean in Europe. It can be found in many surface habitats: brooks, rivers, ponds, and lakes and can also be found in caves. Some of the cave forms have many interesting morphological differences including reduced eyes, reduced pigment, and elongated appendages. Asellus aquaticus is an excellent system for studying systematics and phylogeography as well as the genetic basis of morphological traits. A linkage map and several hundred markers have been generated for this system and transcriptome sequencing is underway. This species is also being raised in the lab and material for sequencing would be easy to obtain. In addition, Asellus aquaticus is commonly used in ecotoxicological studies investigating the effects of pesticides and other chemicals and therefore has agricultural and ecological importance. |
| Lasius niger | IAGC, ISIGC, Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | Lasius niger is a widespread and abundant ant in the holarctic region. This species is particularly suitable for aging and longevity studies, as its queens can reach the age of 30 years, one of the longest lifespan known in insects. Several studies have been aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms of L. niger queen longevity, however such efforts have been limited due to the absence of genomic resources. We recently constructed a normalized full-length cDNA library and are sequencing its transcriptome. Common in Europe and North America, this species is often found attending aphids Eusocial. monogynous, aphid/lycaenid symbionts, common European, aging studies | |
| Macrosteles quadrilineatus | Saskia Hogenhout | Nominated (04/19/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Systematics | M. quadrilineatus transmits aster yellows phytoplasma (AYP) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aster_yellows). This species is highly migratory and polyphagous introducing AYPs to numerous crops in the USA and Canada. Our ability of studying M. quadrilineatus on Arabidopsis along with a fully sequenced AYP strain will facilitate exploration of the leafhopper genome sequence. We have been rearing a M. quadrilineatus colony for at least 10 years. Thus, genetic material is readily available. | |
| Plodia interpunctella | Steve Paterson | Nominated (08/03/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism | Importance: (1) Major pest of stored products (2) laboratory model for population dynamics and infection Genetic material: Easily reared in lab, can inbreed lines if required Awaiting outcome of grant application, which could provide additional resources (eg RNAseq) if funded | |
| Solenopsis richteri | Laurent Keller | Nominated (06/08/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | S. richteri is native to South America but invasive to and common in parts of the USA. It is 1 of 4 fire ant species known to have both monogyne and polygyne social forms. Remarkably, the differences in queen number and other phenotypes between the 2 social forms are caused by polymorphisms at a selfish supergene. Comparative genomics among the socially polymorphic and strictly monogynous fire ant species (7 proposed) and with the S. invicta reference genome will be revealing for the evolution of polygyny, social behaviour, selfish gene action, and species invasiveness. | |
| Embia sp. | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Polyneoptera; phylogenetic origin of order Embioptera is unknown. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Zaprionus indianus | Kim van der Linde | Nominated (04/15/2011) | 215 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Major pest on figs in Brazil (<80% export loss) where it invaded 12 years ago. Current invasive range: Northern Argentina to Southern US. A superior competitor that becomes the dominant species (<90% individuals) within the invaded communities within 2 years. First species to be sequenced in the third major clade within the genus Drosophila; Zaprionus is positioned with Drosophila. Suitable sequencing material is available from the San Diego Drosophila Stock Center or via the proposer. |
| Pamphagus auresianus | Naima Benkenana | Nominated (04/04/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | ||
| Nemoura cinerea | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of Polyneoptera; phylogenetic origin of order Plecoptera is unknown. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Calopteryx splendens | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | 1500 | Systematics | Representative of Zygoptera; position of Odonata within Pterygota is unsolved. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Genome can be sequenced from a single specimen. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. |
| Libellula depressa | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (8/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Anisoptera; position of Odonata within Pterygota is unsolved. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Genome can be sequenced from a single specimen. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Triatoma dimidiata | Eric Dumonteil, Francisco Panzera | Nominated (05/23/2011) | 1000 | Medicine, Systematics | Triatoma dimidiata is a blood-sucking insect whose range extends from northern South America (Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru), throughout all the countries of Central America and into Southern Mexico. It is among the most important carriers of Trypanosoma cruzi, the flagellate protozoa that causes Chagas disease. T. cruzi parasite transmission occurs through insect feces, which is a unique mechanism in insect vectors. However, little is known about T. dimidiata biology, or the relationships with T. cruzi parasites, and a genome sequence would open the way to extensive studies on vector-parasite interactions at the molecular level. It is also ongoing speciation, with several sub-species identified. Thus, while triatomine genetics research has lagged somewhat compared to other insect species, Triatomine species represent unique models for key biological processes. It is also ongoing speciation, with several sub-species identified. Finally, it is very difficult to control, and thus of key medical importance, and a genome sequence would be extremely useful to explore novel control strategies. Laboratory colonies and field specimen are widely available for the preparation of genetic material in several labs, including ours. Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is transmitted mainly by hematophagous insects of the subfamily Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Triatoma dimidiata Latreille is one of the main vectors of the disease, with an extensive distribution from Northern Mexico through most of Central America to Colombia and Ecuador. Control programs are focused on eliminating bugs from human dwellings. However, the control of T. dimidiata poses a particular challenge because of its ability to reinfest domestic and peridomestic habitats from sylvatic reservoirs. Genetic material is available in large quantities as there are several U.S. laboratories where they maintain breeding T. dimidiata (CDC Atlanta). |
| Parasteatoda tepidariorum | Alistair McGregor, Wim Damen | Library construction (07/20/2011) | 1200 | Model Organism | This spider is the primary chelicerate model for Evo Devo research in a growing number of labs worldwide. It is easy to culture, and a range of functional tools have been developed, including in situ hybridisation, embryonic and parental RNAi, and transient transformation. A number of transcriptome sequencing projects have been established. As well as a powerful model for the evolution of development, this species has great potential for understanding other features of spider biology, including venom and silk production. Genetic material is readily available from lab cultures. This spider is the primary chelicerate model for Evo Devo research in labs worldwide. It is very easy to culture and a number of functional tools have been developed including in situ hybridisation, embryonic RNAi, parental RNAi and transient transformation. There are also a number of ongoing transcriptome sequencing projects. This species also has great potential for understanding other features of spiders, including venom and silk production, and will complement other arthropod genomes for phylogenetics. Genetic material is available from the lab cultures of this species. Model in evodevo, functional studies possible, very efficient parental RNAi. Easy to culture in the lab (several lab cultures exist). |
| Galleria mellonella | Heiko Vogel | (05/17/2011) | 400 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Medicine, Model Organism | The larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) are increasingly used as mini-hosts to study pathogenesis and virulence factors of prominent bacterial and fungal human pathogens, as a whole-animal high throughput infection system for testing pathogen mutant libraries, and as a reliable host model to evaluate the efficacy of antibiotics against human pathogens. Furthermore, the unusual environment of the Greater wax moth, beehives, and its basal phylogenetic position would make it a promising model for comparisons with moths and butterflies which exploit different food sources and have a different phylogenetic position within Lepidoptera. |
| Leptidea sinapis | Roger Vila | Nominated (05/05/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | Leptidea sinapis displays the widest known within-species chromosome number range, excluding cases of polyploidy: 2n=106 to 2n=56 in a 6000 km-wide gradual cline. This butterfly is an emerging model for the study of chromosomal evolution and a potential case of clinal species. Within the genus, two new cryptic synmorphic species have been uncovered and thus it is also becoming a model for the study of speciation. It is widespread, common, and easy to breed in the laboratory. Lepidoptera is one of the four megadiverse insects orders but the only genome currently sequenced is that of Bombyx mori, a moth phylogenetically very distant from L. sinapis. | |
| Acanthoscelides obtectus | Martin Klingler | (05/10/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism, Systematics | - easy to keep in laboratory, food available from any supermarket - short generation time (4 weeks) - parental RNAi (systemic RNAi) and in situ hybridization have been established for this species in my lab. hunchback RNAi phenotype ressembles that of Drosophila hunchback, not Tribolium hunchback. - scientific interest (1): long germ embryo, long germ segmentation (6 pair-rule stripes formed synchronously in blastoderm, 2 more form during germ band extension). Interesting as convergent evolution of long germ segmentation, comparison with Tribolium and Drosophila. - scientific interest (2): legs (thoracic appendages) largely reduced in larva - convergent evolution with dipteran imaginal discs. - scientific interest (3): a transcriptome project targeting maternal and early embryonic mRNAs has been initiated by Michael Schoppmeier (University of Erlangen) and Ulrike Löhr (MPI Göttingen). - availability of genetic material: several labs have cultures established, including mine, DNA isolation from eggs, larvae, pupae and adult beetles easy | |
| Tunga penetrans | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/15/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Possible sister group to all other Siphonaptera - medically important parasite of humans - ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project - suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn | |
| Trachymyrmex septentrionalis | Jon Seal | Nominated (04/16/2011) | 320 | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | 1. Genomics of a species occupying an important evolutionary transition. Trachymyrmex septentrionalis belongs to a monophyletic group of fungus gardening ants, which form the sister group to the ecologically and economically important leaf-cutting ants (Atta and Acromyrmex). This species is among the easiest species of Trachymyrmex to study since it is highly abundant and easy to maintain in the laboratory (1-6). The genomes of three leaf-cutting ants have been sequenced or are planned. No species of Trachymyrmex have been sequenced or are currently planned. Understanding the genomics of this species would provide the link between basal and derived forms of fungus-gardening, but also illustrate evolutionary transitions in sociobiology and insect-fungal symbioses. For example, Trachymyrmex exhibits weak polymorphism and intermediate colony and queen sizes, which is transitional from basal species which have strictly monomorphic castes, small colonies and queens to Atta colonies which have highly polymorphic castes and among the largest ant queens and colony sizes in the world. 2. Ecological genomics of an indicator species. This species is a very common species inhabiting forests and prairies on sandy soils throughout the lower 2/3 of the eastern US. This species extends to 40º N where it can encounter harsh winters and hot summers. There are probably few insects that can be found from the wet subtropics (south Florida), dry subtropics (Texas) to maritime temperate (New Jersey/New York) and continental (Illinois/Missouri) environments. T. septentrionalis is an indicator species of natural communities found on sandy soils (1-3). Much less than 10% of the original coverage of sandy soil ecosystem remains intact today. Measures of its productivity (population size, sexual production, colony and fungal biomass, etc.) correlate positively with factors that enhance and maintain the characteristics of these ecosystems (1). Populations of these ants can be so dense that they may excavate more than a metric ton of soil in a hectare of pine forest, which typically have very nutrient poor soils (1). Populations of this species also respond to climate since they are higher in years of drought and lower in years of normal to above normal rainfall (3). Obtaining the genome of this species would have applications ranging from population and ecosystem ecology to conservation biology since it would provide a model system where we can understand the genetic mechanisms that underlie this species' response to its environment. Specimens of this species are easy obtainable, since populations are near major universities (University of Texas at Austin, Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Illinois, University of Missouri, etc.). Genomic information will be curated and annotated in the labs of Ulrich Mueller (University of Texas at Austin), Steve Rehner (USDA, Beltsville), and Ted Schultz (Smithsonian Institution). References (1) Seal, J.N. and W.R. Tschinkel, Ann Entomol Soc Am, 2006. 99(4): p. 673-682. (2) Seal, J.N. and W.R. Tschinkel, Physiol Entomol, 2007. 32: p. 8-15. (3) Seal, J.N. and W.R. Tschinkel, Insect Cons Divers, 2010. 3: p. 134-142. (4) Seal, J.N. and W.R. Tschinkel, Funct Ecol, 2007. 21: p. 988-997. (5) Seal, J.N. and W.R. Tschinkel, Ecol Entomol, 2008. 33: p. 597-607. (6) Seal, J.N. and W.R. Tschinkel, Behav Ecol Socio, 2007. 61: p. 1151-1160. |
| Popillia japonica | Kent Shelby | Nominated (06/24/2011) | 583 | Agriculture, Food Safety | |
| Catajapyx aquilonaris | Oliver Niehuis, Karen Meusemann | Selected (08/15/2011) | Systematics | Representative of Japygidae, one of few current families, Diplura. Phylogenetic importance to resolve the phylogeny of apterygote hexapods. Important for soil ecology. ESTs will be sequenced within the 1KITE project. Suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK, Bonn. | |
| Culicoides sonorensis | Mark Fife | Nominated (07/14/2011) | Agriculture | An accurately sequenced and annotated Culicoides genome, will be of global significance, both enhancing current areas of research and creating novel opportunities for study, with the potential to elucidate vector-pathogen interactions including the genetic drivers of Orbivirus vector competence. The availability of Culicoides sonorensis colonies and cell lines for this model species at the Institute for Animal Health provides a valuable resource of genetic material and will act as a framework for future genome analysis of other Culicoides species. | |
| Polistes annularis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Prim eusoc | ||
| Hypochilus pococki | Jonathan Coddington | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Systematics | Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of Order Araneae. Lampshade spiders are ""living fossils,"" representative of the base of the suborder Araneomorphae (ca. 40,000 species described). Innovations in silk, reproduction, neurobiology, and feeding biology characterize this clade, of which Hypochilus is the basal-most lineage. | |
| Steatoda grossa | Jessica Garb | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Medically important toxins. Provides a close relative to three Latrodectus species to maximize ease of gene annotation, regulatory sequence identification, and detection of paralogy and orthology. Extensive expression data will be available from high-throughput sequencing of RNA from various tissues including individual silk glands, venom glands, cephalothorax, and ovaries. Tissue stored at -80. Dense populations readily available in SW Arizona. Three generation inbred lines could be produced in 1 year. Rearing operation already run by Chuck Christensen (SpiderPharm). | |
| Bryobia praetiosa | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Myrmecia croslandi | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. single chromosome | ||
| Termitogeton sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes. soldier; Phylogeny Prim eusocial: wood dweller | ||
| Augochlorella aurata | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | DNA received (08/18/2011) | Phenotypic plasticity, eusocial evolution, facultative eusociality | ||
| Cubitermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes: worker; soil feeder, Adv eusocial | ||
| Polistes nimphus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Facultative social parasite of P. dominulus, Parasite | ||
| Ammophila sabulosa | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, solitary outgroup, Solitary | ||
| Apis cerana | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. eusociality, pollination | ||
| Dufourea novaeangliae | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | Genome annotation (08/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary outgroup to social halictids | ||
| Autographa gamma | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Pseudogonalos hahni | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | super cool biology: obligate hyperparasitoid; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Bombus polaris | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. host to B. hyperboreus | ||
| Paraponera clavata | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. Predaceous, taxonomically isolated poneroid lineage | ||
| Apterostigma dentigerum | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. fungus farmer, less advanced symbiosis, singly mated queens | ||
| Spalangia nigripes | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | important biological control agent; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Nematus ribesii | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics, Agriculture | pest of Ribes species and economically of high importance; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Monosapyga clavicornis | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | cool biology: parasitoid of bees; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Pardosa milvina | Matthew Greenstone | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Important species in agroecosystems. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of order Araneae. Easily obtained from colleagues in Kentucky | |
| Aphelinus abdominalis | IAGC, Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Generalist parasitoid (used against different aphid pest species). No rearing available but this species is produced in mass for biological control program. important biological control agent; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Ceratina calcarata | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary sister to social Ceratina | ||
| Metaphycus helvolus | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics, Agriculture | important biological control agent; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Cataglyphis sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. behavior, sex determination | ||
| Agapostemon sp. | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary halictid | ||
| Uloborus sp. | Jonathan Coddington | Nominated (08/16/2011) | 250 | Systematics | Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of Order Araneae. Featherlegged spiders are at the base of the orbweaving clade, in which many material science innovations in silk (toughness, diversity, strength) first appear. Easily obtained from colleagues in California |
| Cavariella salicicola | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Important pest on Salix and Umbelliferae. Host-alternating species. Cauda is very special, tongue-shaped with a supra-caudal process. This species could be used as a phylogenetic key node because the systematic position of Cavariella is doubtful. Molecular phylogenetic study revealed it clustered with Pterocommatini, making the Macrosiphini non-monophyletic (von Dohlen et al, 2006. MPE 38: 316-329). And it maybe useful to study the evolution of specific morphological character. | ||
| Vespula squamosa | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Fac. Social parasite, Adv eusoci | ||
| Tetramorium caespitum | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. host of social parasite | ||
| Tetragonula carbonaria | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. complex eusociality | ||
| Polistes fuscatus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Recognition, Prim eusoc | ||
| Polistes atrimandibularis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social parasite of P. dominulus, Parasite | ||
| Polistes dominula | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Invasiveness, Prim eusoc | ||
| Parachartergus fraternus | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Adv eusoci. Alternatively P. colobopteris | ||
| Neotermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes. soldier Prim eusocial: wood dweller | ||
| Pterostichus madidus aquitanus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Carnivorous, generalist, barchyptera, on crops and in forests. | ||
| Brachinus sclopeta | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Carnivorous, specialist, macroptera, on crops. | ||
| Apis mellifera | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. eusociality, pollination | ||
| Carterus fulvipes | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Carnivorous, specialist, macroptera and microptera, in forests. | ||
| Chamaemyia sp. | IAGC, Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Systematics | Generalist aphid predator, rearing available. The larvae of these small flies are active and predatory and are often used for biological control of aphids, scale insects and similar pests. This species is originally Palearctic and introduced to North America as a control agent against Schizaphis graminum where it has established in wheat-growing regions. | |
| Ctenoplectra australica | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary outgroup to Xylocopinae | ||
| Cryptocercus punctulatus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Outgroup, subsocial | ||
| Alloxysta victrix | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Alloxystinae are dominant hyperparasitoids of aphids, important in pest management. | ||
| Dendrocerus carpenteri | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, D. carpenteri is worldwide in distribution and a common hyperparasitoid of aphids, important in pest management. | ||
| Lysiphlebus fabarum | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Generalist parasitoid, to be analysed with L. confusus. | ||
| Myrmoxenus ravouxi | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. social parasite of Temnothorax | ||
| Provespa anomala | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Adv eusoci | ||
| Periplaneta australasiae | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Outgroup, pest | ||
| Bombus ruderarius | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. host to B. inexpectatus | ||
| Periplaneta america | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Outgroup, pest | ||
| Melipona beecheii | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Eusocial. complex eusociality, meliponiculture | ||
| Monoctenus juniperi | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics, Agriculture | pest of Juniperus trees; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Cephalotes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. caste evolution | ||
| Aphidius avenae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Generalist parasitoid, to be analysed with A. rhopalosiphi. Rearing available. | ||
| Protanilla sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. Hypogaeic, blind worker, primitive, early branching lineage. Possible replace with Leptanilla sp. | ||
| Odontotermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. 2 soldier, 2 worker; Symbiosis Adv eusocial, fungus grower | ||
| Agapostemon splendens | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | DNA received (08/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary halictid | ||
| Aporus sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Outgroup species; ectoparasitoid/predator, Solitary | ||
| Formica rufa | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. wood ant, hybridization | ||
| Bombus insularis | Robinson B15 | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social parasitism, obligate social parasite, host is Bombus terrestris | ||
| Anergates atratulus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. workerless social parasite | ||
| Eupeodes corollae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Living material available by capture every year. No rearing available. | ||
| Sphaerophoria scripta | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Living material available by capture every year. No rearing available. | ||
| Pamphilius aurantiacus | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | evolutionary branching; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Daktulosphaira vitifoliae | IAGC | Nominated (08/16/2011) | 400 | Close aphid relatives. Grape phylloxera is a historical pest of grapevine with worldwide economic importance. It feeds on leaves and roots of the cultivated grapevine, imposing the grafting of resistant. While closely related to Aphidoidea, phylloxera is not an aphid sensu strict and is basal for comparative genomics. It has no obligate symbionts, has different feeding habits and reproduces asexually without viviparity. Several references lineages are maintained clonally in laboratory conditions. The heterozygosity is under evaluation using SSR markers. | |
| Brevipalpus obovatus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Dibrachys microgastri | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | cool biology: highly polyphagus parasitoid (= potential model for generalism); ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Cardiocondyla obscurior | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. inconspicuous tramp ant; mating system model | ||
| Bombus pascuorum | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. long tongue, mass provision, late caste det. | ||
| Prorhinotermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes. soldier; Phylogeny Prim eusocial: wood dweller | ||
| Agrilus planipennis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Andrena vaga | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Solenopsis daguerrei | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. social parasite of fire ants | ||
| Nasutitermes takasagoensis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. x soldier, worker, Adv eusocial | ||
| Cerceris grandis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, shared nesting | ||
| Lasioglossum asteris | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social parasitism; parasite to L. imitatum | ||
| Acromyrmex echinatior | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. fungus farmer, caste differentiation, symbiosis, multiply mated queens | ||
| Ampulex compressa | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics, Model Organism | important model organism in neurosciences and in research on venoms and modification of behavior; natural enemy of cockroaches; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Bactrocera philippinensis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Vespula rufa | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, swarm founding, polygyny, Adv eusoci | ||
| Cactoblastis cactorum | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Praon volucre | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Generalist parasitoid, to be analysed with P. barbatum. | ||
| Neuquenaphis edwardsi | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | This species could be useful to resolve key nodes for phylogenetic and evolutionary and new insight about the characteristics of their symbionts. | ||
| Microtermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. 2 soldier, 2 worker; Symbiosis Adv eusocial, fungus grower | ||
| Neuquenaphis staryi | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | This species could be useful to resolve key nodes for phylogenetic and evolutionary and new insight about the characteristics of their symbionts | ||
| Poecilus cupreus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Carnivorous, generalist, macroptera, on crops. | ||
| Macrotermes muelleri | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. 2 soldier, 2 worker; Symbiosis Adv eusocial, fungus grower | ||
| Bactrocera dorsalis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Dasypoda hirtipes | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Aphis gossypii | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Centruroides vittatus | Jonathan Coddington, Tsunemi Yamashita | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Potentially lethal toxin. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of class Arachnida. Easily obtained from colleagues in SW Arizona. | |
| Macrotermes natalensis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. 2 soldier, 2 worker; Symbiosis Adv eusocial, fungus grower | ||
| Ephedrus plagiator | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Generalist parasitoid. | ||
| Diaeretiella rapae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Attack Brevicoryne brassicae. Rearing available | ||
| Cerataphis brasiliensis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Halictus quadricinctus | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Bombus ruderatus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. declining, mass prov, long tongue | ||
| Apoica vicina | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Adv eusoci | ||
| Pseudomyrmex ferrugineus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. arboreal; classic ant-plant mutualist (acacia-ant) | ||
| Megalodontes cephalotes | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Lasioglossum albipes | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial evolution, facultative eusociality | ||
| Epicharis sp. | Robinson B15 | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary outgroup for the corbiculates | ||
| Brachygastra mellifica | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, swarm founding, polygyny, Adv eusoci | ||
| Messor spp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. worker polymorphism; granivory; convergent evolution | ||
| Zethus miniatus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, solitary outgroup, progressive provisioning, Solitary | ||
| Anoplophora chinensis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Eciton burchelli | ISIGC, Corrie S. Moreau | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Eusocial. army ant, worker polymorphism + small population size, polyandry | |
| Polistes canadensis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Prim eusoc | ||
| Microstigmus nigrophthalmus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, independent origin, Fac eusoc | ||
| Solenopsis spp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. social evolution | ||
| Brachinus crepitans | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Carnivorous, specialist, macroptera, humid habitats. | ||
| Tiphia femorata | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | cool biology: parasitoid of beetles (Lamellicornia); ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Helicoverpa armigera | ICIPE, Michael Pfrender | Initiated (08/24/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Important pest species in Africa. Part of Pfrender list | |
| Tetragnatha laboriosa | Rosemary Gillespie | Nominated (08/16/2011) | 949 | Agriculture, Systematics | Long-jawed orbweavers are ubiquitous in agroecosystems, and recognized as important biocontrol agents, especially in grassland (notably rice) ecosystems. Genus used to compare venoms between closely related species (web building versus non web building) to assess functional changes in (and hence significance of) venom proteins. They have nearly the smallest known spider genome. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of order Araneae. Easily obtained from colleagues in Kentucky |
| Vespula austriaca | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social parasite of V. rubra, Parasite | ||
| Cerceris arenaria | ISIGC, Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Systematics | Evol. Sociality, Solitary host of Hedychrum nobile (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae); ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Bombus lapidarius | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. short tongue, progressive provisioning, phylogenitic branch | ||
| Platythyrea punctata | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Eusocial. Parthenogenetic (in part); Platythyrea is sister to all other Ponerinae | ||
| Pseudomyrmex spp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. arboreal; classic ant-plant mutualist (acacia-ant) | ||
| Diplolepis rosae | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | cool biology: induces galls on Rubus plants; secondary phytophagy; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Halictus ligatus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. phenotypic plasticity, eusocial evolution, obligate sister to H. rubicundus | ||
| Bactrocera invadens | ICIPE, Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Important pest specie in Africa Part of Pfrender list | |
| Trechus quadristriatus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Carnivorous, generalist, macroptera, on crops and in forests. | ||
| Nephila clavipes | Cheryl Hayashi | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | Golden silk spiders are probably the most studied model organism for spider silk. Thousands of papers have been published on their ecology, behavior, and systematics. Easily obtained from colleagues in Florida | |
| Clastoptera arizonana | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Anastrepha obliqua | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Monodontomerus aeneus | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | cool biology: Parasitoid of megachilid bees; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Xiphydria camelus | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Phalangium opilio | Marshal Hedin | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Systematics, Model Organism | Sole genomic representative for entire species-rich (>6000 sp) arachnid Order (Opiliones). Genomic data will facilitate annotation of transcriptome data already available for multiple Opiliones taxa. Phalangium opilio is the best-studied taxon in the clade, with a rich literature concerning comparative anatomy, development, physiology, and ecology. Invasive species, and first harvestmen species described (Linnaeus). Easily obtained from colleagues in Kentucky | |
| Brachymeria minuta | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | parasitoid with potential for being used as biological control agent; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Cydia funebrana | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Anastrepha grandis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Simopelta sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. ponerine converging on army ant syndrome | ||
| Mollitrichosiphum tenuicorpus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Widely distributed in Southeast Asia. Hind tibia with numerous transverse ridges. Ventrum of abdomen spinulose and forming two distinct elongated patches postero-laterally, similar to sound-producing structure. This species could be a phylogenetic key node representing the tribe Greenideini and maybe useful to study the evolution of specific morphological character. | ||
| Austroplebeia australis | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Eusocial. complex eusociality | ||
| Lasioglossum zephyrum | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial, monogynous, well studied, easily collected | ||
| Ceratina australensis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Phenotypic plasticity, facultatively semisociality | ||
| Bombus alpinus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. host to B. hyperboreus | ||
| Megachile rotundata | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Solitary. economic importance, solitary. North American commercial strain | ||
| Polistes exclamans | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Prim eusoc | ||
| Aproceros leucopoda | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | invasive pest (Ulmus trees) species in Europe; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Bombus occidentalis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial | ||
| Anthonomus grandis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Ropalidia marginata | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Prim eusoc | ||
| Dinoponera sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. gamergates. Another Ponerini (Harpegnathos) already done | ||
| Aphidius rhopalosiphi | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Specialist parasitoid, to be analysed with A. colemani. Rearing available | ||
| Monobia quadridens | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, solitary outgroup, mass provisioning, Solitary | ||
| Bactrocera papayae | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Bombus griseocollis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. short tongue | ||
| Glossina morsitans | Serap Aksoy | Paper writing (08/24/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | International Glossina Genomics Initiative project ongoing since 2006 | |
| Bactrocera carambolae | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Macrotermes bellicosus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. 2 soldier, 2 worker; Symbiosis Adv eusocial, fungus grower | ||
| Archotermopsis wroughtoni | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes: soldier, Phylogeny Prim eusocial: wood dweller | ||
| Hodotermes mossambicus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes: soldier, worker, Phylogeny Eusocial: intermediate | ||
| Mischocyttarus drewensi | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Invasiveness, Prim eusoc. Alternatively M. mastigophorus | ||
| Cinara cedri | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Important from the symbiotic perspective, since it harbors two obligate endosymbiont. It feeds on gymnosperm and has high host-specificity. It has a natural predatory wasp Pauesia anatolica (Hymenoptera). Given its natural host is difficult to maintain in the lab, but a colony is currently being maintained in the University of Valencia. A sequencing effort is currently planned (contact: Toni Gabaldñn and Andrés Moya). | ||
| Trichopria drosophilae | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | evolutionary branching; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Bombus inexpectatus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social parasitism: obligate social parasite | ||
| Rhytidoponera sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. gamergates | ||
| Macromus posticus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Feeds on aphids as both larva and adult. | ||
| Blasticotoma filiceti | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | evolutionary branching; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Pseudacanthotermes spp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. x soldier, x worker; Symbiosis Adv eusocial, fungus grower | ||
| Brevipalpus californicus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Tuberculatus margituberculatus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Widely distributed in China. Dorsum with many remarkable processes. This species could be a phylogenetic key node and maybe useful to study the evolution of specific morphological character. | ||
| Anastrepha striata | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Atherigona oryzae | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Solenopsis invicta | ISIGC | Completed (08/18/2011) | Eusocial. major invasive pest, GP9 | ||
| Polistes sulcifer | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social parasite of P. dominulus, Parasite | ||
| Harpalus affinis | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Omnivorous, generalist, macroptera, on crops and in forests. | ||
| Greenidea ficicola | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | This is an important pest on Ficus and has been reported as an exotic pest in many countries. It infests young twigs, leaves and figs, causing defoliation and fruit drop. Cauda is special, round at apex with a spinal process. This species could be a phylogenetic key node representing the tribe Greenideini and maybe useful to study the evolution of specific morphological character. | ||
| Hedychrum nobile | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics, Model Organism | representative of Chrysidoidea, the sister group of all remaining Aculeata; allows inferring the genome of the ancestral Aculeata; cool biology: cleptoparasite of Cerceris arenaria; model organism for studying the evolution of chemical mimicry; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Mycocepurus castrator | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. social parasite of M. goeldii | ||
| Astalotermes quietus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes: worker; soldierless, Adv eusocial | ||
| Bombus hortorum | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. invasive, mass prov., long tongue | ||
| Bruchidius obtectus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Megalopta genalis | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | DNA received (08/18/2011) | Phenotypic plasticity, dim-light foraging, facultative eusociality | ||
| Attini spp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. fungus farmer, less advanced symbiosis, singly mated queens. Up to 10 species proposed. | ||
| Porotermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes: soldier Prim eusocial: wood dweller | ||
| Pogonomyrmex colei | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. seed harvester, workerless inquiline, hybrid speciation | ||
| Bombus vestalis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. social parasite, phylogenetic branch | ||
| Linepithema humile | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. major invasive pest | ||
| Encarsia formosa | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Anastrepha fraterculus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Neophyllaphis podocarpi | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Systematic position of the neophyllaphidines is still doubtful: belongs to the tribe Phyllaphidini of Drepanosiphinae (Blackman & Eastop, 1994 Aphids on the World's Trees) or should be regarded as a subfamily Neophyllaphidinae | ||
| Lysiphlebus confusus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Specialist parasitoid, to be analysed with L. fabarum. | ||
| Aphelinus asychis | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Generalist parasitoid (used against different aphid pest species). No rearing available | ||
| Lasioglossum malachurum | Robinson B15 | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. phenotypic plasticity, eusocial evolution | ||
| Pogonomyrmex spp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. adaptation to dry climates and seed harvesting, venome, genetic basis of sociometry | ||
| Diuraphis noxia | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Leucospis dorsigera | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | cool biology: parasitoid of megachilid bees; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Atta cephalotes | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. fungus farmer, caste differentiation, symbiosis, pest status, multiply mated queens | ||
| Blissus leucopterus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Tuberolachnus salignus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | |||
| Cervaphis quercus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Widely distributed in East and Southeast Asia. Dorsum with remarkable long branched processes. This species could be a phylogenetic key node representing the tribe Cervaphidini and maybe useful to study the evolution of specific morphological character. | ||
| Euglossa imperialis | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Social evolution: solitary, communal, facultatively eusocial, parasocial | ||
| Tetragona ziegleri | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | DNA received (08/18/2011) | Eusocial. complex eusociality | ||
| Centris flavifrons | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary outgroup for the corbiculates | ||
| Draeculacephala minerva | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Apis dorsata | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. eusociality, pollination | ||
| Lepthyphantes tenuis | Jonathan Coddington | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Important species in agroecosystems. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of order Araneae. Easily obtained from colleagues in Kentucky | |
| Anischnogaster sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, solitary outgroup, Solitary | ||
| Lasioderma serricorne | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Cheiracanthium inclusum | Jonathan Coddington | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Important species in agroecosystems, especially orchards and vineyards. Important invasive species in natural and managed systems. Commonly linked to situations of dermonecrotic envenomation. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of order Araneae. Easily obtained from colleagues in Kentucky | |
| Dorylus molestus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. army ant, worker polymorphism, polyandry | ||
| Tuberaphis styraci | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Eusocial species having 2nd-instar soldier nymphs. Soldiers and non-soldiers have the same genome, but are different in morphology, reproduction and behavior (Aoki & Kurosu 1989 Jpn. J. Entomol. 57:407). The primary symbionts have been replaced from buchnera to yeast-like symbionts (Fukatsu & Ishikawa 1992 J. Insect Physiol. 38:765). Gall-forming aphid. All aphids in a gall are genetic clones. Samples kept in the freezer or fixed in aceton are available. | ||
| Dysdera crocata | Miquel Arnedo | Nominated (08/16/2011) | 3000 | Systematics | Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of Order Araneae. This species of woodlouse spider is invasive and bioindicator of heavy metal contamination, as well as much studied for karyotype evolution and morphological and behavioral prey specialization. Easily obtained from colleagues in Spain |
| Colletes cunicularius | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Proceratium sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. Hypogaeic, larval hemolymph feeding; early branching poneroid lineage | ||
| Nothomyrmecia macrops | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. canonical primitive ant, brachypterous | ||
| Latrodectus geometricus | Cheryl Hayashi | Nominated (08/16/2011) | 1506 | Medicine, Systematics | Potentially lethal toxin. This and other Latrodectus provide three closely related species to maximize ease of gene annotation, regulatory sequence identification, and detection of paralogy and orthology. Extensive expression data will be available from high-throughput sequencing of RNA from various tissues including individual silk glands, venom glands, cephalothorax, and ovaries. Tissue stored at -80. Dense populations readily available in southern California. Three generation inbred lines could be produced in 1 year. |
| Aphidius colemani | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Generalist parasitoid, to be analysed with A. rhopalosiphi. | ||
| Exoneurella tridentata | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Eusocial evolution, obligately eusocial | ||
| Liriomyza huidobrensis | ICIPE, Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Important pest species in Africa Part of Pfrender list | |
| Loxosceles reclusa | Greta Binford, Dan Strickman, Alejandro Alagon | Selected (08/16/2011) | 1125 | Medicine | Potentially lethal toxin. Model organism for understanding dermonecrotic envenomation (sphingomylinase D). Focus of research to understand neurotic fractions in venom. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of order Araneae. Easily obtained from colleagues in Oregon Venom from Loxosceles spider cause the development of an interesting, yet not very well known, pathophysiological condition. I suggest to use late stage embryonated eggs to obtained genetic material. |
| Liostenogaster flavolineata | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, independent origin, Fac eusoc | ||
| Anastrepha serpentina | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Exoneura robusta | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Phenotypic plasticity, facultatively eusocial, semisocial | ||
| Metapolybia docilis | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, swarm founding, Adv eusoci. Alternatively M. cingulata, or M. azteca | ||
| Cydia pomonella | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Hodotermopsis sjostedti | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes. soldier Prim eusocial, wood dweller | ||
| Praon barbatum | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Specialist parasitoid, to be analysed with P. volucre. | ||
| Aphis nerii | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Good comparison for studies of symbiont-conferred protection because they appear to sequester milkweed chemicals that provide protection. They are also part of an interesting ecological community, interacting with monarch, milkweed bugs and other insects that specialize on diverse milkweed species distributed around the world. | ||
| Zootermopsis nevadensis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes. soldier Prim eusocial, wood dweller | ||
| Sphex funereus | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Aphidius eadyi | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Specialist parasitoid, to be analysed with A. ervi. No rearing available but this rare species can be easily sampled. | ||
| Baizongia pistaciae | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | The life cycle of B. pistaciae and of the rest of members of the tribe Fordini differs from most aphid species in that it is completed in two years instead of one. Sexual morphs appear in spring instead of autumn. The genome of its primary endosymbiont Buchnera is already available, which would allow the study of the interaction between the genomes of the aphid host. It would also be helpful from an evolutionary point of view, to cover the diversity of the family Aphididae. Large amounts of living individuals can be obtained each year. It can also be reared on oat. | ||
| Mindarus abietinus | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Mindarinae are an ancient group of aphids with a restricted host range. They can be pests in nurseries. M. abietinus is common on Abies in Europe, M. pinicola in common on Abies in eastern North America. | ||
| Anastrepha ludens | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Epiphyas postvittana | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Lasioglossum fulvicorne | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Solitary. plasticity, origins, reversal from social to solitary | ||
| Macropis nuda | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Solitary. basal lineage of bees | ||
| Microcerotermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes: worker, soldier; Pest. Adv eusocial | ||
| Empoasca fabae | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Acyrthosiphon svalbardicum | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | See above and A. svalbardicum DNA samples have been stored and could be used for sequencing. | ||
| Inquilina schwarzi | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social parasitism, social parasite | ||
| Latrodectus hesperus | Nadia Ayoub | DNA received (08/16/2011) | 1262 | Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | The three related widow species will facilitate gene annotation, regulatory sequence identification, and ortho/paralogy detection. Model organism for mating behavior, development, silk genetics, and venom research. Genomic resources already available including a fosmid genomic library, 1009 traditional ESTs, and established methods for FISH. Extensive expression data will be available from high-throughput sequencing of RNA from tissues wuch as individual silk and venom glands, cephalothorax, and ovaries. Tissue stored at -80. Dense populations readily available in southern California. Three generation inbred lines could be produced in 1 year. Rearing operation already run by Chuck Christensen (SpiderPharm). High quality genomic DNA can be extracted quickly, as demonstrated by prior production of genomic library |
| Agelaia vicina | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Adv eusoci | ||
| Bactrocera tryoni | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Cryptotermes secundus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes. soldier Prim eusocial: wood dweller | ||
| Nipponaphis monzeni | IAGC, John Shorter | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Ecosystem Function | This aphid is a presocial species having 1st-instar soldier nymphs. They show a unique social behavior, gall repair. When their gall is damaged, they plug and repair the wound by discharging their own body fluid This species of aphid has soldiers that commit self-sacrificial gall repair. They live clonally in nests, and would be an ideal system to look at expression differences between the soldiers that perform these behaviors and other nestmates. | |
| Harpegnathos saltator | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Eusocial. Basal ant model system | ||
| Vespula vulgaris | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Invasiveness, Mating systems, Adv eusoci | ||
| Megachile willughbiella | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics, Agriculture | genome can likely be sequenced from single haploid male; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Cupiennius salei | Jonathan Coddington, Wolfgang Nentwig | Nominated (08/16/2011) | 5 | Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Model Organism (neurobiology, development, behaviour, sensory physiology, venom physiology). Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of order Araneae. The model organism for chelicerate neuroarchitecture. Has provided insights into development (role of molecules in axis formation and segmentation and to describe the mechanisms of neural development in chelicerates. Many of these studies have used the findings in a comparative approach, trying to resolve more general questions of arthropod phylogeny and evolution. This is the most intensively investigated spider species since ever with most publications for one spider species. Many investigations are unique among spiders, e.g. embryology, sensory organs and sensory physiology, behaviour, immune system, digestion, nutritionalecology, and many more. Easily obtainable from from several lab stocks in Europe. |
| Trimeria howardi | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Basal to social, evolution of pollen feeding, Solitary | ||
| Episyron rufipes | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | cool biology: spider hunter; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Lucilia cuprina | Michael Pfrender | Selected (08/24/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Atrax robustus | Marshal Hedin | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Notorious Australian funnel-web spider, responsible for many well-documented deaths in eastern Australia. Venom with novel atracotoxins, but also includes insecticidal toxins. Only genomic representative for suborder Mygalomorphae (tarantulas & kin; > 2500 sp), sister to ""true spiders"" (Araneomorphae). Easily obtained from colleagues in Australia | |
| Vespa crabro | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Invasiveness, Adv eusoci | ||
| Diglyphus isaea | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics, Agriculture | important biological control agent; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Mastotermes darwiniensis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. soldier, worker, Pest, Eusocial | ||
| Cephalonomia tarsalis | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics, Food Savety | important biological control agent; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Acyrthosiphon kondoi | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | See above, and A. kondoi is currently lab reared and easily available | ||
| Euglossa hyacintha | Robinson B15 | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social evolution: solitary, communal, facultatively eusocial, parasocial | ||
| Aneuretus simoni | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. relict taxon, sister to Dolichoderinae | ||
| Bombus hyperboreus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Social parasite, facultative social parasite Arctic distribution, small colonies | ||
| Camponotus floridanus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. crown-group ant model system | ||
| Oecophylla smaragdina | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. biocontrol, ancient human symbiont | ||
| Cerapachys biroi | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Eusocial. parthenogenesis, army-ant-like social organization | ||
| Myrmica rubra | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. host of multiple social parasites, invasive | ||
| Periphyllus acerihabitans | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | 1st-instar nymphs have two morphologically different types; the aestivating dimorph undergoes a period of diapause. This species could be useful to resolve key nodes for phylogeny and may shed light on the evolution of polymorphism in aphids. | ||
| Martialis heureka | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. Hypogaeic, blind worker, primitive, possibly sister to all other extant ants | ||
| Pemphigus bursarius | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Host-alternating, gall-forming species, having 1st-instar soldier with moderately aggressive behavior but not morphologically specialized. Comparative study with other social species e.g. Hormaphidinae species may shed light on the evolution of sociality in aphids. This species could also be a phylogenetic key node representing the tribe Pemphigini, as the monophyly of Eriosomatinae has not yet be retrieved. | ||
| Oxyopes salticus | Jonathan Coddington | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Lynx spiders are ubiquitous in agroecosystems. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of order Araneae. Easily obtained from colleagues in Kentucky | ||
| Diacamma sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. gamergates. Another Ponerini (Harpegnathos) already done | ||
| Brachygaster minutus | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | representative of the most likely sister group of Aculeata; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Amblyopone sp. | ISIGC, Corrie S. Moreau | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Eusocial. Hypogaeic, primitive, larval hemolymph feeding | |
| Parischnogaster mellyi | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, independent origin, Fac. Social | ||
| Habropoda laboriosa | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | Genome annotation (08/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary outgroup to the social Apidae, economically important pollinator | ||
| Bactrocera curcurbitae | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Kalotermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes. soldier Prim eusocial: wood dweller | ||
| Eurytoma rosae | Ralph Peters | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | evolutionary branching; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Smicromyrme rufipes | Oliver Niehuis | Nominated (08/20/2011) | Systematics | males and females with very different morphology (= potential model for high phenotypic plasticity); ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Brevipalpus phoenicis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Peponapis pruinosa | Comparative Sociogenomics Project | DNA received (08/18/2011) | Solitary. solitary outgroup to the social Apidae, oligolecty, economically important pollinator | ||
| Camponotus fellah | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. polymorphic, model ant for nestmate recognition | ||
| Stolotermes sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Totipotency, Morpho castes: soldier Prim eusocial: wood dweller | ||
| Formica selysi | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. monogyne/polygyne | ||
| Pogonomyrmex barbatus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. seed harvester, genetic/environmental caste determination | ||
| Ceratovacuna nekoashi | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Apis florea | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. eusociality, pollination | ||
| Lasioglossum marginatum | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial, perennial, large colonies | ||
| Apoica pallens | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Adv eusoci | ||
| Lasioglossum imitatum | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. phenotypic plasticity, eusocial evolution; host to L. asteris | ||
| Polistes metricus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Recognition, Prim eusoc | ||
| Aphidius ervi | IAGC | Nominated (8/16/2011) | Nasonia is the closest known Hymenoptera parasitoid, Generalist parasitoid, to be analysed with A. eadyi. Rearing available | ||
| Tetraponera punctulata | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. arboreal; nitrogen-fixing symbionts in gut; sister group of of Pseudomyrmex | ||
| Aleurocanthus spiniferus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Chelifer cancroides | Jonathan Coddington | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Venom has never been studied. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of class Arachnida. Easily obtained from colleagues in Britain. | |
| Polybia occidentalis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Swarm founding, Adv eusoci | ||
| Diceroprocta semicincta | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Trigona detoiti | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. complex eusociality | ||
| Brachymyrmex sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. hypogaeic (part), sister to other Formicinae | ||
| Mycocepurus goeldii | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. host of M. castrator | ||
| Anastrepha suspensa | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Vespa orientalis | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Major honey bee pest, Morphol castes, Invasive, Adv eusoci | ||
| Temnothorax sp. | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. host of social parasite | ||
| Dolichovespula maculata | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morphological castes, Adv eusoci | ||
| Pogonomyrmex rugosus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. seed harvester, genetic/environmental caste determination | ||
| Diaphorina citri | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Hyalella azteca | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Lasioglossum calceatum | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial evolution, facultative eusociality | ||
| Blattella germanica | ISIGC | Nominated (08/18/2011) | Outgroup, pest | ||
| Chrysoperla mediterranea | IAGC | Nominated (08/16/2011) | Feeds on pollen, nectar and honeydew, and aphids. | ||
| Reticulitermes speratus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Evol. Sociality, Morpho castes. soldier, worker Eusocial: intermediate | ||
| Xylocopa aeratus | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Phenotypic plasticity, facultative semisociality | ||
| Bombus impatiens | ISIGC | Nominated (8/18/2011) | Eusocial. eusocial evolution | ||
| Homarus americanus | David Schulz, Dirk Bucher, Wolfgang Stein, Peter Andras | Nominated (11/21/2011) | 4645 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Homarus americanus is a model organism for work done on neural networks, behavior, and crustacean physiology. The stomatogastric ganglion (STG) has been studied extensively for over 40 years, and has shed a tremendous amount of light on neural network function, neuromodulation, and motor behaviors. Seminal behavioral and neurochemical work has been carried out with this species. In addition, it is an agriculturally important species. Molecular approaches have been used in studies of olfactory processing, motor network function, systematics, and behavior to name a few. This is an economically and scientifically valuable species, and genomic approaches would open entirely novel research questions to build on many decades of invaluable research. |
| Tetranychus cinnabarinus | Jinjun Wang | Nominated (11/21/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Systematics | This mite is worldwide distributed.It attacks over 100 cultivated crops including many vegetables, flowers and several fruit, which resulted in undoubtedly great economic loss. It is one of the species that undergoes extremely rapid. T. cinnabarinus completes its embryonic development in 39 hours. Full developmental time from egg to adult can be less than 7 days in favourable temperatures. It is very close to the T. urticae which has been proven to be having one of the smallest known genomes in the chelicerates, 75Mbp. Therefore, T. cinnabarinus not only a promising species for developmental studies but also provide an avenue for evolutionary study between the two close related species. |
| Thermobia domestica | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | ESTs available; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Argiope bruennichi | Matjaz Kuntner | Nominated (8/22/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | Common, easily obtained from colleagues in Europe. Systematics & Model Organism for behavior, sexual evolution. | |
| Papilio machaon | Felix Sperling | Nominated (02/13/2012) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Papilio machaon is THE butterfly for millions of people who know it by any of many common names and recognize this large swallowtail butterfly by its striking wing pattern. It is the type species not only for the genus Papilio but also thereby the family Papilionidae and all butterflies. It occurs in numerous habitat types across Eurasia and North America, and has been much studied from many angles ranging from conservation biology to speciation mechanisms to chemical ecology to the psychological symbolism of butterflies. It has become a high-profile model organism for a species group (the machaon complex) of about 8 species, with Papilio machaon alone having 3770 citations in Google Scholar and closely related species in the complex having an additional combined total close to 5000. This is clearly a species of enormous evolutionary versatility, human appeal, and profound promise for continued research. | |
| Opifex fuscus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Key species similar to Aedes | |
| Phyllotreta nemorum | Patrick Verbaarschot | Nominated (09/09/2011) | 400 | Agriculture, Model Organism | The Flea beetle Phyllotreta nemorum is both a widespread pest organism as one of the model organisms of the geographic mosaic of co-evolution(Thompson, 2005). Some Danish populations are resistant to the crucifer Barbarea vulgaris while it is toxic for most other populations. It was shown that the resistance has a genetic basis and that it is inherited via one or more dominate gene(s). Furthermore it was shown that it can be autosomally as well as sex-linked inherited depending on the populations tested. Essential for understanding the evolution of host plant use by phytophagous insects is the genetic basis of host preference, acceptance and performance traits. Sequencing the genome of this species is essential for the elucidation of this genetic basis. Abundant genetic material is available via our laboratory. |
| Quadrartus yoshinomiyai | John Shorter | Nominated (09/10/2011) | Quadrartus yoshinomiyai is an interesting because they are a gall forming aphid with an interesting behavior. They have older workers past their reproductive prime that will commit self-sacrifice against a predator by adhering to them with a sticky liquid. They nest clonally, and would make an ideal research model once their genome is sequenced. | ||
| Anopheles albimanus | AGCC | Library construction (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Crocidolomia pavonana | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Lariophagus distinguendus | Johannes Steidle | Nominated (11/28/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Lariophagus distinguendus is an ectoparasitoid of beetle larvae developing in seeds. It can be easily reared in the lab, so genetic material is readily available. It has been used in studies on various ecological, behavioral and evolutionary questions. Together with Nasonia, which has been sequenced, it is currently used as promising model organism to study molecular mechanisms and ecology of memory formation and speciation. Because its hosts are serious pests of stored grain (e.g. the granary weevil) it is sold by companies in Europe to control these pests |
| Ixodes scapularis | Cate Hill | Paper writing (01/01/2005) | 2400 | Agriculture, Medicine | Disease vector (Lyme disease, Louping Ill, Tick-borne encephalitis). Major disease vector in UK and Europe Transmits several deseases but especially the rising number of lyme desease infections in middle European children is worrying. |
| Uranotaenia sapphirina | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Important genus, does not feed on mammals | |
| Sesamia calamistis | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Tetranychus urticae | ICIPE | Completed (09/11/2011) | 90 | Agriculture, Food Safety | Important pest in Africa |
| Aedes japonicus | Jason Pitts | Nominated (03/07/2012) | Medicine, Systematics | Invasive species and potential arboviral vector. | |
| Phoneutria nigriventer | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine | Public health importance in Brazil. | |
| Pararge aegeria | Casper Breuker, Karl Gotthard, David Berger | Nominated (11/07/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | Pararge aegeria is a temperate zone species that has been used as a model system for studies of insect ecology and life history evolution, including distribution and dispersal in response to climate change and habitat fragmentation. Speckled woods have also been developed as an eco-evo-devo model species by studying the developmental underpinnings of the life-history and morphological variation observed in response to environmental heterogeneity. We are currently in the process of annotating a large transcriptomic dataset (20000 contigs with an average length of 500bp). | |
| Monochamus alternatus | Robert Collignon | Nominated (10/12/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function | Monochamus alternatus is a serious forest pest, attacking a number of economically and ecologically important conifer species. M. alternatus is also a vector of several Bursaphelenchus nematodes. Monochamus species, and cerambycid species generally, are very important forest pests; to date, no cerambycid genomes have been sequenced that I am aware of. |
| Pulex irritans | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Diatraea saccharalis | Katherine Giron | Nominated (02/06/2012) | Agriculture, Food Safety | ||
| Tisbe holothuriae | Adelaide Rhodes | Nominated (08/23/2011) | 685 | Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | behavior and feeding experiments. Harpacticoid copepods have novel genes for the synthesis and conversion of omega-3 fatty acids. They are often used as a first feed for larval marine fish. With the increasing dependence of the world on aquacultured species of marine fish it would be helpful to know how their main food source in nature produces the key nutrients which keep fish alive. In addition, , this species is often used for ecotoxicological assays because of the ease of rearing and reproducing this animal. Millions can be kept in a small volume of water. They respond differently to temperature, salinity and chemical exposures, so it is easy to match changes in demography and behavior to the external inputs. Having more information about the transcriptomes of this model marine harpacticoid copepod will help to facilitate environmental as well as theoretical studies on trophic transfer of nutrients. |
| Amblyomma maculatum | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine | Gulf coast tick, potential vector for heartwater and considered a pest species for cattle farming | |
| Anopheles funestus | AGCC | DNA received (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Stegobium paniceum | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Anopheles quadriannulatus | AGCC | DNA received (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Rodolia cardinalis | John Obrycki | Nominated (09/01/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function | The vedalia beetle has provided biological control of the cottony-cushion scale for over 120 years in California. Its unique behaviors would provide an excellent basis to study the genetic bases of predation in the Coccinellidae. | |
| Carpophilus freemani | Pat Dowd | Nominated (11/4/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism | This species can serve as a representative of the NItidulidae, and is in one of the more common genera. Although not the most destructive (other species of Carpophilus or Glichrochilus are), it is somewhat unusual in that it is attracted to both moldy and fresh corn (especially sweet corn), and can thus serve as a vector of molds that make mycotoxins. The pheromones the Carpophulus spp. make are rather unusual in that they are all hydrocarbon (no oxygen present). Also unusual is the pheromone-producing glands are derived from the tracheal system. We have had these in colony for 20 years, and they are still very prolific. |
| Aedes vexans | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety, Systematics | Subgenus Aedimorphus and widespread pest worldwide. | |
| Bourletiella hortensis | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | potential pest species, ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Prostephanus truncatus | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Impotant pest species in Africa | |
| Hellula undalis | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Rhyzopertha dominica | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Apocephalus borealis | Chris Smith | Nominated (01/06/2012) | 600 | Agriculture | This is a newly described parasitoid of honeybees that may act as a vector for CCD associated diseases and leads to hive abandonment behaviors similar to CCD. While likely not a direct cause of CCD it was found in commercial hives traveling the Western US and may threaten bees broadly. |
| Mansonia africana | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Medicine | Important disease vector species in Africa | |
| Atelura formicaria | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | Cool biology, myrmecophil; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Thaumatotibia leucotreta | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Gnorimoschema barsaniella | André Lage Perez | Nominated (10/25/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Model Organism | The chilli pepper fruit borer (Gnorimoschema barsaniella) is one of the most important pests of solanacea crops, where there are a lot of gelechiidae insects related to G. barsaniella. In my post graduate researches we established rearing methods and the biology of the chilli pepper fruit borer and there are enough insects in laboratory to provide genetic material to the genome sequencing. At time there a few researches about this pest and there are still many points of confusion in the taxonomy of Gelechiidae family. The genome sequencing of this pest could serve as a tool to solve the most of problems about the Gelechiidae's systematics studies and assist the integrated pest management in solanacea crops. |
| Anopheles quadrimaculatus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Subgenus Anopheles representative of maculatus group and an important vector in North America | |
| Metaseiulus occidentalis | Marjorie Hoy | Completed (08/15/2011) | |||
| Amblyomma hebraeum | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine | South African bont tick, vector for heartwater | |
| Diatraea saccharalis | Bernard Landry | Nominated (9/14/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Systematics | The whole mitochondrial genome of 15,490 bp is available from GenBank. In my efforts to understand the phylogeny of the Pyralidae, Crambinae my morphological dataset gives poor resolution with regard to the position of Diatraea. I have plans to use molecular markers to work on this problem and have collected material of all major lineages of Crambinae fo that purpose, except Diatraea and Chilo. However the latter genus is covered by leptree.net. |
| Anopheles melas | AGCC | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Neochlamisus bebbianae | Daniel J. Funk | Nominated (09/01/2011) | 280 | Model Organism | I have developed this species as a study system for investigating the evolution of ecological specialization and, especially, ecological speciation. |
| Sabethes chloropterus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Good representative of sabethine genera, important vector of yellow fever | |
| Cadra cautella | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Bagrada cruciferarum | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | |||
| Oecophylla smaragdina | Corrie Moreau | Nominated (09/13/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | |
| Myzus persicae | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Onthophagus nigriventris | Douglas Emlen | Nominated (09/19/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Two dung beetle species (O. nigriventris, O. Taurus) have become focal research species for labs in Europe, Australia, and the US, with over a hundred published papers on horn evolution, parental care behavior, sperm competition, tradeoffs between traits, antagonistic coevolution, and systematics. Roughly fifteen labs are now actively working with Onthophagus dung beetles. They have been used extensively for evo devo work, and between my lab and Armin Moczek's, we are developing transcriptomic resources (we have sequenced the transcriptome for O. nigriventris and Armin has done the same for O. taurus). Armin's group (with Emilie Snell Rood) has developed arrays for taurus and used them on nigriventris, and we will be using RNAseq to look at differential gene expression in nigriventris. But we all invested our resources in expression : I.e. In transcriptomes and arrays, and not in genome sequencing. That has always been out of our reach. I suggest Onthophagus taurus or Onthophagus nigriventris would be ideal species for genomes. |
| Aceria tosichella | Anna Whitfield | Nominated (08/26/2011) | Energy, Systematics | Smallest arthropod Vector of at least 5 viruses of wheat Globally important for agriculture Parthenogenetic reproduction and rapid population increase | |
| Scirtothrips dorsalis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Toxorhynchites rutilus | Jason Pitts | Nominated (02/07/2012) | Predator of other mosquito larvae; mosquito systematics. | ||
| Thiodina sylvana | David Hill | Nominated (9/16/2011) | 0 | Model Organism, Systematics | Thiodina sylvana is a widely available and common inhabitant of woodlands in the eastern United States. It has unusual sense organs on the first legs that are not found in most salticids. The 'subfamily' Thiodininae is basal to the group Amycinae, which in turn is included in, but basal to the rest of the Salticoida. Thus this species represents a group that, if compared with other salticoids (e. g., the common and readily available Phidippus audax, or Salticus scenicus), can shed light on the evolution of this most important group of jumping spiders. Thiodina sylvana (or its sister species T. puerpera) is readily reared in the laboratory, and a model subject for the study of animal behavior. |
| Osmia lignaria | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Corethrella appendiculata | Ximena Bernal | Nominated (12/15/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | The family Corethrellidae is a monogeneric family of about 100 recognized species and probably more soon to be described. These midges are closely related to true mosquitoes and also depend on blood meals. However, frog-biting midges have an unique strategy to find their host. They rely on the mating calls produced by frogs to localize a calling male an obtain a blood meal. The midges also pass on a blood parasite (trypanosome) and carry a chitrid fungus involved in the decline of many species of frogs. This is thus a great system for vector borne diseases affecting an endangered group (anurans). In addition, learning about the genomics of this species would help us understand the evolution of novel behaviors as eavesdropping and the associated structures like a tympanic ear to use the frog call. C.appendiculata is readily available in the field (Florida) and in two lab colonies in the US (one of those is in my lab). |
| Machilis hrabei | Karen Meusemann | Selected (09/12/2011) | Systematics | ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Diploptera punctata | Stephen Tobe | Nominated (11/03/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | A great model insect! Perfect for studying the endocrine control of reproduction and for examing the factors regulating hormone production. |
| Maorigoeldia argyropus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | New Zealand sabethine that is supposedly bridge species to New World | |
| Anopheles maculatus | AGCC | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Paederus sabaeus | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Medicine | Public health hazard | |
| Anopheles farauti | AGCC | DNA received (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Dermacentor variabilis | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine | American dog tick, vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia (Francisella tularensis). | |
| Achelia sp. | Susan Masta | Nominated (8/22/2011) | Systematics | readily obtainable from the intertidal zone from May-August, and substantial quantities of RNA-grade specimens are currently stored in a -80º freezer. Pycnogonids, or sea spiders, are enigmatic arthropods in many respects. Their highly unusual morphology makes it difficult to infer their closest phylogenetic relatives, making them important organisms for understanding arthropod relationships. This particular lineage of sea spiders has adapted to the most extreme physiological conditions, and Achelia species can be found living in a wide range of environments, from deep-sea hydrothermal vents to the intertidal zone to frigid Antarctic waters. Other pycnogonids in the same family have very small genome sizes. | |
| Mansonia indiana | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine | Important vector of filariasis | |
| Dilta littoralis | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | adapted to coastal areas, ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Rhagoletis pomonella | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Aedes polynesiensis | Jason Pitts | Nominated (03/07/2012) | Medicine, Systematics | Major filarial vector in South Pacific. | |
| Panonychus citri | Jinjun Wang | Nominated (11/21/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Food Safety, Systematics | Panonychus citri probably originates from South-East Asia. It is nowadays found worldwide, wherever Citrus is grown. The Citrus red spider mite is an economically important pest. However, they are often difficult to manage because of their ability to rapidly develop resistance to various acaricides. Studies in China indicated that this mite outbreaks in several main citrus growing areas and they possess high insecticide resistance. Therefore, the availability of its genome sequence will definitely faciliate our understanding of its resistance mechanisms and resistance management. |
| Anagasta kuehniella | Walther Traut | Nominated (9/19/2011) | 440 | Food Safety, Model Organism | Importance: A wealth of known mutants and classical genetics, chromosomes and chromosome mutants. Mitochondrial genome and W chromosome sequenced. A storage pest. Easy culture. Availability: Wild-type, mutant, and chromosome mutant strains from longterm cultures. |
| Araneus diadematus | Matjaz Kuntner | Nominated (8/22/2011) | 2690 | Model Organism, Systematics | Common, easily obtained from colleagues in Europe. Systematics & Model Organism for behavior and silk proteins/evolution. |
| Mormotomyia hirsuta | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | |||
| Sternochetus mangiferae | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Ephoron shigae | Kazuki Sekine | Nominated (09/12/2011) | 0 | Systematics | This mayfly is a geographically parthenogenetic species, and all females reproduce via parthenogenesis are diploid in the unisexual populations. The males have subimago stage, but females not. The mass emergence of this species is characteristic and exactly synchronized; the adult age is 1-2 hours. This mayfly exhibits a strong phototaxis, and huge numbers of mayflies are attracted by street lights and accumulate on riverside roads, interfering with traffic, and sometimes causing car accidents. |
| Chrysops silacea | Jason Pitts | Nominated (02/07/2012) | Vector of African loiasis. | ||
| Anopheles epiroticus | AGCC | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Bactrocera oleae | Anne Estes | Nominated (02/08/2012) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism, Systematics | Bactrocera oleae, the olive fruit fly (OLF), is an agricultural pest of global significance. This tephritid fruit fly has invaded the majority of countries where olives are grown, including a recent invasion of the United States in the late 1990's. Despite the sequencing of its mitochondrial genome, the country of origin of the OLF remains highly debated. Over 90% of olives are infested when OLF is present in a grove, thus control is a concern for growers. OLF has been a target for sterile insect technique, but difficulties remain in mass rearing the fly. Long-term reared laboratory strains have shorter lifespans and are not as competitive as wild flies. Instead, insecticides remain the primary method for control though insecticide resistance is a growing problem. Finally, the OLF associates primarily with one beneficial endosymbiont, Candidatus Erwinia dacicola, though other bacteria are transiently associated with the fly. C. E. dacicola is unusual in that it is one of the few non-pathogenic bacteria to transition between intracellular and extracellular lifestyles during fly development. The genome of this symbiont has been sequenced and is currently being examined. Sequencing the insect genome would allow for a more comprehensive understanding of how the insect and bacterium interact. Additionally, tephritid fruit flies are global agricultural pests. Ceratitis capitata, the Mediterranean fruit fly, has already been sequenced and might be able to be used as a scaffold. Approximately 5 labs in the U.S., Italy, Israel, and Greece work on the olive fly symbiosis. More than 20 labs across the world conduct work on the pest management aspect of this fly. A strong network of hundreds of investigators work on closely related species of tephritid fruit flies. High quality, freshly isolated genomic DNA can be easily obtained from a variety of laboratory strains and wild collected animals from a variety of populations. | |
| Leptocybe invasa | Nicolas Durand | Nominated (11/20/2011) | 0 | Energy | Leptocybe invasa is a invasive gall-wasp originating typical bump-shaped galls on the leaf midribs, petioles and stems of new growth of several Eucalyptus species. Originate from Australia, this gall-inducing wasp is now spreading quickly in Mediterranean countries, Africa and Middle East, causing damages to young plantations. The Eulophidae family includes many parasitoids but also a few gall-inducers. There are several major interests of getting genetic material for this species such as understanding the evolution of the gall inducers in the Eulophidae and also to dissect the complex gall-forming mechanisms. Moreover this species is a plant pest and increasing the knowledge on it's biology could lead to a better control. |
| Haemagogus equinus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Key genus phylogenetically, important sylvatic vector of yellow fever | |
| Phytonemus pallidus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Ctenolepisma longicaudata | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | upcoming pest species in the U.S.; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Riptortus clavatus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Hyalomma dromedarii | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine | Camel tick, common ectoparasite of camels | |
| Dacus frontalis | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Sarcoptes scabiei | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine | Parasitic arthropod which burrows into skin and causes scabies | |
| Anopheles culicifacies | AGCC | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Centruroides sculpturatus | Jonathan Coddington, Tsunemi Yamashita | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Genome size unknown, but Mesobuthus martensii is 600 Mbp. Scorpions are agriculturally important for several reasons. First, they produce venom peptides that specifically target insect nervous systems, and recent research has demonstrated the utility of these peptides as insect biological control agents (Karbat et al., 2004; Song et al., 2011). Secondly, as k-selected, equilibrium species (Polis & Farley, 1980) scorpions have the potential to control insect populations in agricultural regions. Aside from agriculture, scorpions are medically significant. First, they pose a severe public health hazard in Mexico (as well as many other regions of the world) where as many as 250,000 envenomations resulting in up to 2,500 deaths are reported each year. However, scorpions also have therapeutic potential. Their venoms are currently being explored in a variety of treatments including brain gliomas (Kievet et al., 2010) and as analgesics (Wang et al., 2010). All of the medically important venoms come from scorpions in the family Buthidae. Buthids can generally be separated into two groups: the New World buthids and the Old World buthids. Old World buthids produce a family of mammal-specific toxins called beta-toxins, where as New World buthids produce both alpha and beta mammalian toxins. The genus Centruroides is a New World buthid taxon distributed from northern South America to the southern United States, throughout the Caribbean and the Galapagos. The genus is comprised of 71 species, of which 10 are capable of lethal envenomation. A taxonomic revision of this group is currently underway (Esposito, in prep). There are three species of Centruroides naturally distributed in the United States: Centruroides sculpturatus, Centruroides vittatus and Centruroides hentzi. Preliminary results from molecular and morphological analyses indicate that these three species belong to three ecologically, morphologically and genetically divergent clades: Centruroides sculpturatus belongs to a clade of scorpions, endemic to North America, that contains all of the Centruroides species capable of lethal envenomation. In fact, Centruroides sculpturatus has itself been implicated in lethal envenomations of children in the United States. For this reasons, along with the economic and therapeutic potential of buthid scorpion venom peptides, and its natural occurrence in the United States, Centruroides sculpturatus would make an ideal candidate for genome sequencing. (from Lauren Esposito) | |
| Aedes lineatopennis | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Subgenus Neomelanoconion, important mosquito in Africa and Asia. | |
| Locusta migratoria | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture, Food Safety | Important pest in Africa | |
| Phidippus audax | Ryan Kaldari | Nominated (09/15/2011) | 3208 | Model Organism, Systematics | Phidippus audax is the most well known jumping spider in North America and is often treated as a model organism for the family Salticidae (a diverse family of over 5,000 species). It has already been thoroughly studied both morphologically and phylogenetically. Some individual genes have been sequenced or partially sequenced for comparison with other species. Suitable genetic material should be readily available as it is a common synanthropic species throughout most of the United States. |
| Culex tarsalis | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Subgenus Culex, important vector of viruses | |
| Libellula fulva | Anon | Selected (03/05/2012) | |||
| Trypoxylus dichotomus | Douglas Emlen | Nominated (9/19/2011) | 0 | Model Organism, Systematics | This beetle (formerly Allomyrina dichotoma, now Trypoxylus dichotomus) is a huge, charismatic species with a spectacular horn. It is THE most popular and abundant of the rhino or stag beetles in most of Asia, where it is reared as a pet. It is a very popular research species for work on animal behavior and sexual selection, as well as for protein biochemistry work on Lectin structure and function. We have sequenced and assembled a transcriptome (with Laura Corley Lavine, Ian Warren, Cris Vera and Jim Marden). We have cloned the insulin receptor gene and performed RNAi knockdown experiments and shown that insulin signaling is part of the mechanism coupling horn growth with nutrition. We are not likely to have funds to sequence the genome of this species, but such a resource would be beneficial to a large number of researchers worldwide (and a tremendous help to us). |
| Hippodamia convergens | John Obrycki | Nominated (09/01/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function | One of the most widely sold predatory species for augmentation biological control. | |
| Copidosoma floridanum | Michael Strand | Nominated (10/11/2011) | 250 | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | Copidosoma floridanum is the best studied insect that undergoes polyembryonic development. Its development is highly novel and has also evolved a caste (social) system by novel mechanism. Particularly unique is this species produces >2000 clonal progeny per egg that are genetically identical. This unique feature of development provides an enormous quantity of DNA for full genome sequencing that derives from a single male (haploid) egg. The technical advantage this provides is unrivaled by any other parasitic hymenopteran. The species is in continuous culture such that material is immediately available. The species is important to agriculture as the wasp is used in biological control. The species is also phylogenitically well placed for comparison to other species like Nasonia and the honeybee. |
| Orchesella cincta | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | ecologically important (soil decomposing), potential model species, inbreed possible, parthenogenetic, ecologically important; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request, the D. Roloef ecogenomics workgroup, NL, VU Amsterdam is currently working on this species | |
| Latrodectus mactans | Dan Strickman, L. Brian Patrick | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | ||
| Unaspis yanonensis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Cordylochernes scorpioides | David W. Zeh | Nominated (8/22/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | In culture. Medicine & Systematics. Venom has never been studied. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of class Arachnida. Model organism for studies of speciation and sexual selection. | |
| Lyssomanes viridis | Cynthia Tedore, GB Edwards | Nominated (09/18/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Lyssomanes viridis is a basal salticid which can be found in great numbers overwintering on holly (Ilex opaca) in North Carolina (and probably other Southeastern states as well). I have numerous specimens in a -80 freezer that could be donated for DNA extraction. Salticids in general have unique visual systems compared to other arthropods. Their visual acuity is finer than any other terrestrial arthropod, and there is electrophysiological evidence that they possess color vision. L. viridis is easy to keep in the lab, is not aggressive, and will readily behave naturally in the lab. I have run many successful behavioral experiments with L. viridis which should be published over the next few years. I expect (or at least hope) L. viridis will emerge as a model system among salticids in the years to come. With a Lyssomanes genome, we could ask increasingly interesting questions about the genetic bases of behavior, as well as analyze paternity in mate choice experiments. As a basal salticid, a comparison of L. viridis' genome with that of a more derived salticid and with members of related families could yield insights into the evolutionary history of salticids. Studies of Lyssomanes' distribution and genetic relatedness during different times of year could yield interesting insights into dispersal and inbreeding avoidance, as I have unpublished data on L. viridis' migration from homogenous to patchy distributions with the onset of winter, back to homogenous distributions in the Spring. FInally, L. viridis seems to specialize on dipteran prey, and could emerge as a bio-control agent for disease vectors like Culex, especially in the Southern hemisphere, which is inhabited by related Lyssomanes species. |
| Araneus marmoreus | Yuri Marusik | Nominated (9/14/2011) | 0 | Model Organism, Systematics | It is a Holarctic species, in which several hidden species/subspecies can be potentially found |
| Pectinophora gossypiella | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Pseudomyrmex ferrugineus | Corrie Moreau | Nominated (09/13/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | |
| Anopheles dirus | AGCC | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Anopheles hyrcanus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Subgenus Anopheles, but representative of important vector species group in Asia | |
| Euperipatoides rowelli | Paul Sunnucks | Nominated (9/22/2011) | 8000 | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | Phylum Onychophora are unique besides Tardigrades in being basal to arthropods, and so have the potential to say more about arthropods than most arthropods can. Euperipatoides rowelli should be chosen for sequencing because it is by far the best-studied species in the Phylum (biodiversity, development, life history, population genetics, functional ecology, behaviour), is unusually abundant, relatively large, can be raised in captivity, and occupies an important model location (Tallaganda, Australia) for studying evolution and ecological function. There is very significant context in community ecology: phylogenetically important animals are co-located at Tallaganda and have been published on (including Collembola, Terricola (flatworms), Mygalomorphs). |
| Blaniulus guttulatus | Hans S. Reip | Nominated (09/15/2011) | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | Blaniulus guttulatus ist one of the wide spread diplopod and sometimes known as a plant pest. | |
| Anopheles stephensi | AGCC | DNA received (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Mesaphorura sp. | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Portia labiata | Daiqin Li | Nominated (09/14/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | |
| Plusiocampa strouhali | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Cotesia sesamiae | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important biocontrol agent, parasitoid | |
| Hadrurus arizonensis | Tsunemi Yamashita | Nominated (9/15/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Medicine, Systematics | Largest scorpion in US. Common in Sonoran desert. |
| Yllenus arenarius | Maciej Bartos | Nominated (9/15/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | I can provide material for sequencing |
| Anopheles cruzii | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Subgenus Kerteszia, important vector locally; this subgenus inhabits bromeliads | |
| Labidura riparia | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | |||
| Motyxia sequoiae | Paul Marek | Nominated (9/14/2011) | 0 | Medicine, Systematics | Motyxia sequoiae's luminescence is generated by way of a photoprotein (like the GFP jellyfish Aequorea victoria). The photoprotein may be appropriate as a biomarker (since it fluoresces as well) for staining & visualizing tissues. This is not to mention the significance of the group as one of the helminthomorph (higher"") millipedes which is currently not represented in the i5k plan. Material for analysis is easily obtained from Sequoia Nat'l Forest in California."" |
| Otiorhynchus sulcatus | Annette Reineke | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Agriculture, Model Organism, Systematics | One of the most important coleopteran insect pests in many crops (grapevine, strawberries, ornamentals....). Parthenogentic mode of reproduction, could therefore serve as a model for the evolution of asexual reproduction. Family contains species also with a sexual mode of reproduction. Inbred lines are available due to the existence of a laboratory rearing. | |
| Hyalesthes obsoletus | Michael Maixner | Nominated (9/17/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Model Organism | Hyalesthes obsoletus is the principal vector of stolbur phytoplasma, a pathogen that affects agricultural crops like potato, tomato, pepper and corn, but also causes the Bois noir disease in grapevine all over Europe. H. obsoletus has been extended its range from southern to central Europe, together with a plant host shift. There are distinct epidemiological cycles of the pathogen including wild host plants that branch to cultivated crops through the feeding of H. obsoletus. This vectoring insect is therefore also a model for complex tritrophic epidemiological systems of phytoplasmas. We can supply this insect alive (only June/July) or frozen, or prepare DNA from the specimens. |
| Onthophagus taurus | Anne Estes | Selected (02/08/2012) | The bull-horned dung beetle, Onthophagus taurus, an essential insect of the agricultural environment and the developmental biology laboratory. Dozens of papers have been written on the importance of this beetle to processing dung to minimize the breeding of parasitic flies. How this organism feeds exclusively on the waste products of another organism has not been investigated, but may have implications for manure as biofuel. Due to this benefit, O. taurus, a Mediterranean native, has been introduced into and is well established in several countries including the U.S. and Australia. How it impacts local dung beetle biodiversity is unknown. O. taurus is also well established in the developmental biology laboratory. Dozens of papers have been written concerning the development of novel traits such as horns, mouthparts, and copulatory structures. Microarrays and comprehensive 454 pyrosequencing produced EST libraries have been developed during this work that might aid genome sequencing efforts. Additionally, the microbiome of O. taurus is currently being studied as an emerging model for gut microbiome investigations. Sequencing the insect genome would facilitate studies of the host-bacterial interactions. Several Onthophagus species are used in developmental biology research. Having the genome sequenced of O. taurus could provide a scaffold for future genomic or transcriptomic projects of close relatives. Approximately 15 laboratories are currently working with this species. High quality, freshly isolated genomic DNA can be easily obtained from either laboratory strains and wild collected animals from a variety of populations. | ||
| Folsomia candida | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | ecologically important (soil decomposing), potential model species, inbreed possible, parthenogenetic, ecologically important; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request, the D. Roloef ecogenomics workgroup, NL, VU Amsterdam is currently working on this species | |
| Thomisus onustus | Thiago da Silva Moreira | Nominated (9/18/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Systematics | |
| Strigamia maritima | Michael Akam | Community annotation (01/27/2012) | Model Organism | Strigamia maritima, a centipede and member of the Myriapoda, displays a remarkable degree of body segmentation. S. maritima is widely used as a model to study evolution of segmentation, segment number variation as well as to understand the differentiation of body regions in arthropods and other higher organisms. | |
| Trogoderma granarium | ICIPE, Michael Pfrender | Nominated (08/24/2011) | Agriculture, Systematics | Important pest species in Africa Part of Pfrender list | |
| Phlebotomus orientalis | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Parnassius smintheus | Stephen Matter | Nominated (9/26/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Energy, Model Organism, Systematics | This species is a model organism for understanding spatial population biology (dynamics and genetics) and coevolution. Material is easily available via ongoing studies. |
| Armigeres subalbatus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Abundant human pest related to Aedes | |
| Oryzaephilus surinamensis | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Chrysops dimidiata | Jason Pitts | Nominated (02/07/2012) | Vector of African loiasis. | ||
| Anopheles implexus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Potentially a Gondwanan relative of New World Anopheles (perhaps too academic a reason) | |
| Drosophila immigrans | Kim van der Linde | Nominated (9/12/2011) | 0 | Systematics | Drosophila immigrans is a key species in one of the major unresolved knots in the Drosophila phylogeny. |
| Biston betularia | Ilik Saccheri | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Ecosystem Function | ||
| Anopheles arabiensis | AGCC | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Enchenopa binotata | Robert Snyder | Nominated (9/13/2011) | 0 | Model Organism | The Enchenopa binotata species complex is a model system for studying sympatric speciation. The E. binotata complex has also been used to study the evolution of vibrational communication, a common, but understudied, mode of insect communication. Genetic material is easily obtain seasonally in Eastern North America, or can be reared in the laboratory. |
| Evarcha culicivora | ICIPE, Ximena Nelson | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Medicine | Important predator of Anopheles. Only known species to target the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae, as preferred prey (jackson et al. 2005, Nelson et al. 2006) | |
| Pteromalus venustus | David Ostermann | (08/26/2011) | Agriculture | This tiny wasp is a significant problem in alfalfa leafcutting bee populations. | |
| Toxorhynchites amboinensis | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Predatory mosquito as larva, used extensively in experimental biocontrol | |
| Cancer borealis | David Schulz, Dirk Bucher, Wolfgang Stein, John Birmingham, Peter Andras | Nominated (11/21/2011) | 2220 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Cancer borealis is a model organism for work done on neural networks. The stomatogastric ganglion (STG) has been studied extensively for over 40 years, and has shed a tremendous amount of light on neural network function, neuromodulation, and motor behaviors. Recently, molecular approaches have augmented the wealth of electrophysiological and biochemical information gathered by the STG community. The STG is poised to become a premiere model system in molecular neuroscience, and with genome sequence available a new era of studies in this model system would be launched. |
| Culex tritaeniorhynchus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | Subgenus Culex, important vector of Japanese encephalitis | |
| Ptilocolepus granulatus | Karl Kjer | Nominated (12/19/2011) | 0 | Systematics | Ptilocolepidae (Trichoptera) larvae live in wet soil around liverworts, just like the most basal member of the sister order, Micropterigidae (Lepidoptera). The phylogenetic position of Ptilocolepidae is completely unknown, despite considerable efforts toward the standard, multiple gene and morphology approach. Understanding the phylogenetic position of this family would polarize the case making behavior of the entire order, Trichoptera, and shed light on what the ancestral habitats were for Holometabola. If Ptilocolepidae is the sister taxon of the rest of Trichoptera (which it may be), then it is much more likely that the ancestral state of Amphiesmenoptera (Trichoptera+Lepidoptera) was terrestrial. |
| Tetrodontophora bielanensis | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | one of the largest springtails, ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Eldana saccharina | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Anurida maritima | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | adapted to salt water areas, ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Sarcophaga sarcophaga | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Tetragnatha elongata | Anne Danielson-Francois | Nominated (8/22/2011) | 725 | Medicine, Systematics | In culture. Readily available. Agriculture & Systematics. Long-jawed orbweavers are ubiquitous in agroecosystems, and recognized as important biocontrol agents, especially in grassland (notably rice) ecosystems. Genus used to compare venoms between closely related species (web building versus non web building) to assess functional changes in (and hence significance of) venom proteins. Smallest known spider genome. Provides appropriate phylogenetic sampling across diversity of order Araneae. |
| Petrobius brevistylus | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | adapted to costal areas, ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Toxorhynchites brevipalpis | Jason Pitts | Nominated (02/07/2012) | Predator of Aedes larvae; mosquito systematics. | ||
| Megalotomus quinquespinosus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Loxosceles boneti | César Raziel Lucio | Nominated (1/16/2012) | 0 | Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | L. boneti is one of the best knwon recluse spiders, and ind it's excluse from Mexico |
| Trichoplusia ni | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Habronattus oregonensis | Susan Masta | Nominated (08/22/2011) | Systematics | Currently in culture, and are readily collected locally from May-August. Substantial quantities of RNA-grade specimens are currently stored in a -80º freezer. Habronattus jumping spiders possess some of the most elaborate male courtship ornaments and behaviors known among animals. Many of the species show geographic variability in these traits, making them excellent model organisms for the study of the evolution of phenotypic traits, geographic variation, hybridization, sexual selection, and speciation. Additionally, the mitochondrial genome of this spider was found to possess the smallest known transfer RNA genes ever described in any organism, and these likely require processing by novel nuclear-encoded polymerases before protein-synthesis can occur. | |
| Squilla mantis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Sirex noctilio | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Ephestia kuehniella | Frantisek Marec | Nominated (9/14/2011) | 0 | Food Safety, Model Organism | Ephestia (=Anagasta) kuehniella, early model of developmental genetics, has become a model for Lepidoptera cytogenetics and sex chromosome research. A stock center with 28 strains including various eye-color and wing-pattern mutations, mostly highly inbred, is available at the Institute of Entomology BC ASCR, Cesle Budejovice, Czech Republic. Stored product pest, often used as a model for testing biopesticides and pheromone monitoring; eggs used for mass rearing of parasitods to be used in biological control programs. |
| Busseola fusca | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Agriculture | Important pest species in Africa | |
| Trichoprosopon digitatum | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Representative of another part of sabethines in New World, very abundant and important human pest | |
| Nylanderia pubens | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Eosentomon sp. | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | key taxon to resolve the origin of hexapods; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Anopheles atroparvus | AGCC | DNA received (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Cephalotes atratus | Corrie Moreau | Nominated (09/13/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Turtle ants are Neotropical arboreal specialists with interesting microbiomes. |
| Mansonia uniformis | ICIPE | Nominated (09/11/2011) | Medicine | Important disease vector species in Africa | |
| Odontomachus brunneus | Joseph Spagna | Nominated (09/13/2011) | 430 | Systematics | This is one of the best-characterized trap-jaw ants, which have some of the fastest jaw-strikes in the animal kingdom, and whose jaws have been co-opted for 'jumping' when they strike against hard surfaces, firing the animal into the air. Colonies of these ants are available for genomic sampling from Suarez Lab, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. They can also be collected from the Archbold Field Station, Lake Wales, FL. |
| Anelosimus eximius | Ingi Agnarsson | Nominated (8/22/2011) | Model Organism, Systematics | Easily obtained from various countries in Latin America, culturing feasible. Systematics & Model Organism (Social evolution, breeding system evolution, dispersal, inbreeding ). Has provided insight into the evolution of sociality, its causes and consequences, the transition from non-social to social. Has provided insight into breeding system evolution, the evolution of inbreeding and its evolutionary and genetic consequences. A reference genome would enable research on about 100 congeners, representing multiple independent evolution of sociality and inbreeding, potential to unravel social genes, and genes determining dispersal and inbreeding. | |
| Acizzia uncatoides | Diana Percy | Nominated (12/12/2012) | 447 | pest: very widespread introduced from Australia all over the world, invasive colonizer of endemic Acacia in Hawaiian Islands | |
| Culex erraticus | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Important representative of subgenus Melanoconion | |
| Anopheles christyi | AGCC | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Panorpa vulgaris | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Scolytus ventralis | Sarah Smith | Nominated (09/20/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Systematics | I have numerous preserved specimens from 15+ populations across the western United States in ethanol and stored at -80 |
| Spodoptera littoralis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Glossina pallidipes | Jason Pitts | Nominated (02/07/2012) | Vector of African trypanosomiasis. | ||
| Ostrinia nubilalis | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Amblyomma americanum | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Medicine | Lone star tick, vector for a number of rickettsiales bacteria. | |
| Maconellicoccus hirsutus | Michael Pfrender | Nominated (24/08/2011) | Systematics | Part of Pfrender list | |
| Calliphora vicina | Reinhard Schröder | Nominated (10/5/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Medicine, Model Organism | Calliphora is of medical interest as a species that transmits diseases by contaminating food or can serve as a source for anitmicrobial activity. Calliphora is of interest for forensic reasons and it is a pest on meat and fish. Due to its size, the blowfly Calliphora is used as a model by phsysiologists (visual system, nervous system, biomechanics). |
| Metajapyx sp. | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Chagasia bathana | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Possibly the most basal of the mosquitoes - related closely to Anopheles | |
| Paraponera clavata | Corrie Moreau | Nominated (9/13/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | |
| Limatus durhamii | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Important, semidomesticated sabethine | |
| Cosmophasis umbratica | Daiqin Li | Nominated (09/14/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Model Organism, Systematics | |
| Cephalotes varians | Corrie Moreau | Nominated (09/13/2011) | 0 | Ecosystem Function, Systematics | Turtle ants are Neotropical arboreal specialists with interesting microbiomes. |
| Podura aquatica | Karen Meusemann | Nominated (09/12/2011) | Systematics | Sometimes aggregating; ESTs will be sequenced within 1KITE project; suitable genetic material can be provided by the ZFMK; genome size estimates can be conducted by Flow Cytometry upon request | |
| Limnoporus dissortis | Abderrahman Khila, Davide Faggionato | Nominated (09/15/2011) | 500 | Ecosystem Function, Medicine, Model Organism, Systematics | Limnoporus dissortis is a water strider belonging the the family Gerridae (Hemiptera, Gerromorpha). This group is characterized by highly innovative morphologies that are strikingly adapted to their various aquatic habitats. Appendages constitute one of the most diverse structures across this lineage in terms of shapes and sizes, between segments of a single individual, between the sexes, and between species. Importantly, we have a good understanding of the ecological forces that shape this diversity, including interaction between the sexes, adaptation to locomotion on the water surface, and prey-predator interactions. Furthermore, we have establishes RNA interference for single and multiple gene knockdown across several species in this group. This diversity offers a powerful model for identifying the genes and the genetic changes responsible for phenotypic change within species, between populations, and across species. Genome size: ~500MB Inbreeding: Yes (Over 10 generation) Sex determination: XO DNA source: 1 inbred Female individual (Large size) |
| Anopheles merus | AGCC | Selected (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Anopheles minimus | AGCC | DNA received (09/13/2011) | Medicine, Systematics | ||
| Tripteroides bambusa | Dan Strickman | Nominated (08/19/2011) | Systematics | Abundant Asian sabethine | |
| Peregrinus maidis | Karen Alviar | Nominated (12/2/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Food Safety, Model Organism | P.maidis is the only known vector of the two major diseases of corn, maize mosaic rhabdovirus and maize stripe virus in tropical and subtropical areas. The interaction of maize mosaic virus with their insect vector, P.maidis, have not been studied in the molecular level. The data that will be gathered on the sequencing of this very important arthropod vector will provide information in the aspects of vector/host specificity, transmission barriers and virus receptors in the vector. |
| Limulus polyphemus | Anon | Nominated (09/14/2011) | 0 | Agriculture, Medicine, Systematics | |
| Atta texana | Ulrich Mueller | Nominated (04/20/2011) | 30 | Agriculture, Ecosystem Function, Model Organism | The LEAFCUTTER ANT Atta texana is pest species impacting agriculture and forestry in the southern USA and northeastern Mexico, particularly in pine plantations in Texas and Louisiana (also citrus, pecan, most ornamental plants). Losses are estimated at $5 million annually in the USA. A.texana is difficult to control due to the ant's enormous nest size (2-5 million workers per nest) (urbanentomology.tamu.edu/ants/leaf_cutting.cfm). Because A.texana is the northernmost leafcutter ant, and because A.texana depends on cold-sensitive, mutualistic fungi cultivated by the ants for food (Mueller et al. 2011a), A.texana is expected to spread northward and eastward throughout the Gulf states under the predicted climate warming (Mueller et al. 2011a). PEST MANAGEMENT: There are no insecticides currently available for specific control of leaf-cutter ants. Treating nests with general pesticides can contaminate water (nests are often near streams) (urbanentomology.tamu.edu/ants/leaf_cutting.cfm). Biocontrol methods currently under development focus on microbial pathogens of the ants and of the cultivated fungi. Pathogens impacting A.texana are different from those impacting leafcutter ants in the tropics (Rodrigues et al. 2008, 2009). An integration of ongoing research on biocontrol methods with genomic information of the ant and the cultivated fungus is desirable. A draft genome of the cultivated fungus (Attamyces bromatificus; estimated 15x coverage) has already been generated (Mueller Lab, Univ.Texas Austin), but the corresponding genome of A.texana is currently not being sequenced. INSECT-MICROBE MUTUALISM: Unlike the diffusely coevolving tropical leafcutter ants, A.texana is the only leafcutter ant species with a specific ant-fungus association (Mueller et al. 2010, 2011b). Moreover, the microbiomes of A.texana ants and gardens have been characterized with both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods (16S-amplicon 454-sequencing) (Mueller et al. 2008; Rodrigues et al. 2008, 2009; Ishak & Mueller unpublished). Genomic information of A.texana can therefore be interpreted in the context of specific ant-fungus coevolution and mutualistic/pathogenic microbial associates. OUTREACH: Several zoos currently exhibit A.texana as examples of insect-microbe mutualism and biological complexity (e.g., Houston Insect Zoo, Carnegie Museum, Montreal, Smithsonian). Predicted genome size of A.texana: 300.3Mb . 1.9 (average from 9 workers; Spencer Johnston and Mueller unpublished). To facilitate assembly, A.texana males from a highly inbred population at the northernmost range limit have already been obtained; additional material can be collected from that population. The closest relatives of A.texana are Atta mexicana (Mexico to El Salvador) and Atta insularis (Cuba); these three species are in a distinct subgroup of Atta than the already sequenced tropical leafcutter ant Atta cephalotes (Suen et al. 2011). Number of researchers working on A.texana (including pest management research): >100. Genomic information of A.texana will be curated and annotated in the labs of Ulrich Mueller (Univ. Texas Austin), Steve Rehner (USDA, Beltsville), and Ted Schultz (Smithsonian Institution). References: Mueller et al. 2008, Evolution 62:2894-2912 Mueller et al. 2010, PLoS One 5(9):e12668. Mueller et al. 2011a, PNAS in press doi:10.1073/pnas.1015806108 Mueller et al. 2011b, P.Roy.Soc.B in press doi:10.1098/rspb.2011.0125 Rodrigues et al. 2008, Microbial Ecology 56:604-614. Rodrigues et al. 2009, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 96:331-342. |