Molecular Phylogenetics of Basal Insect Groups: A Team Mentored Experience

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Michael F Whiting, Biology

Funding was received from the BYU ORCA mentorship program during 2012-2013 to support undergraduates performing research in my lab on insect evolution, under the mentorship of postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and myself. During 2013- 2014, this funding provided direct support for 6 undergraduates who are in various stages of completing research projects. The following report focuses on undergraduate achievements, but also provides summary data for graduate students and other lab participants.

Review of Academic Objectives of the Proposal

Funding was received from ORCA in 2013 to provide students with the opportunity to work on various projects that focus on the evolution of basal insect groups. The proposal submitted described four team projects that included postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates. During the period of ORCA funding (2013-2014), the Whiting lab group produced 19 manuscripts (12 published or in press; 3 in review; 4 to be submitted shortly). Additional manuscripts are on track to be published in 2015. The overarching goal behind the research was to train students and mentor them all the way through the scientific process, from teaching basic lab and computer skills, to experimental design, data generation, analysis, and finally presentation at national meetings and publication in peer reviewed journals. As outlined below, the productivity of the lab as a whole for 2013-2014 was very good (19 manuscripts and 11 presentations), and the productivity of the undergraduates was particularly excellent (authorship on 9 publications and 10 presentations).

Evaluation of the Mentoring Environment

In 2013-2014, the mentoring environment of the lab consisted of six BYU undergraduates, four graduate students, and two postdocs. We met together in weekly lab meetings, read from the current literature, and reviewed each other’s manuscripts.

Whiting Lab Participants (2013-2014)

  • Michael F. Whiting (PI)
  • Dr. Hojun Song (Postdoctoral Fellow)
  • Dr. Seth Bybee (Postdoctoral Fellow)
  • Joey Mugleston (graduate student)
  • Rebecca Buckmann (graduate student)
  • Katie Fager (graduate student)
  • Gavin Martin (graduate student)
  • Jessica Jensen (undergraduate)
  • Kelsy Johnson (undergraduate)
  • James Leavitt (undergraduate)
  • Michael Naegle (undergraduate)
  • Matthew Moulton (undergraduate)
  • Michael Swindle (undergraduate)

Specific Products of the MEG

Research Presentations: In 2013-2014 my lab group made 11 presentations at scientific meetings. Undergraduates participated as senior author or co-authors on 10 of the presentations, graduate students on 9 presentations. Undergraduates are indicated by bold text; graduate students are indicated by underlined text.

  • Robertson, J. A., M. F. Whiting, A. Slipinksi, J. McHugh, and M. Blackwell. Trends and impact of host utilization in beetles. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Portland, OR Nov 10-13, 2014
  • Martin, G. J., M. Swindle, Y. Pacheco, T. King, M. A. Branham, M. F. Whiting, S. M. Bybee. Illuminating the Lampyridae: A step towards a large-scale molecular phylogeny of the fireflies. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Portland, OR Nov 10-13, 2014
  • Pacheco, Y., G. J. Martin, M. A. Branham, M. F. Whiting, and S. M. Bybee. Using multiple lines of evidence to compare Western and Eastern populations of Pyractomena dispersa (Lampyridae). Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Portland, OR Nov 10-13, 2014
  • Pacheco, Y., G. J. Martin, M. A. Branham, M. F. Whiting, and S. M. Bybee. A phylgoenetic comparison of populations of Pyractomena in Western United States. International Firefly Symposium, Gainesville, FL. Aug 11-15, 2014.
  • Martin, G. J., M. Swindle, M. A. Branham, M. F. Whiting, S. M. Bybee. A molecular phylogeny of Lampyridae and its implications to the evolution of firefly signaling systems. International Firefly Symposium, Gainesville, FL. Aug 11-15, 2014.
  • Pacheco, Y., G. J. Martin, M. A. Branham, M. F. Whiting, and S. M. Bybee. A phylgoenetic comparison of populations of Pyractomena in Western United States. International Firefly Symposium, Gainesville, FL. Aug 11-15, 2014.
  • Wightman, H.C., M.F. Whiting, D. Morris, S.M. Bybee. Past, present and future: phylogeny of Odonata. Annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Austin, TX., Nov 10-13, 2013
  • Martin, G.J., M. Swindle, M.A. Branham, M.F. Whiting, S.M. Bybee. A phylogeny of Lampyridae with insight into firefly visual system evolution. Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolution, SLC Utah; July, 2013.
  • Morris, D.J., K.K. Johnson, S.M. Bybee. Ordering Odonata: Current and Future Directions of Odonate Phylogeny. Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolution, SLC Utah, July, 2013.
  • Johnson, K.K., Y. Pacheco, D. Houston, S. Jordan, R. Englund, M.F. Whiting, S.M. Bybee. Exploring the genetic structure within and among populations of the endemic giant Hawaiian dragonfly Anax strenuus. Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolution, SLC Utah; July, 2013.
  • Naegle, M.A., S.M. Bybee, J. Mugleston, C. Girod, M.F. Whiting. Deciphering Dermapteran Ectoparasitic Evolution. Annual Meeting of the Society of Evolution, SLC Utah; July, 2013.

Publications: During 2013-2014, the Whiting lab group produced 19 manuscripts (12 published or in press; 3 in review; 4 to be submitted shortly). Of these, 9 manuscripts have undergraduate authors, and on 3 of these the undergraduate is the senior author. Nine manuscripts have graduate student authors. These have been published in some of the top journals in our field (e.g., Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Impact Factor 4.01) Undergraduates are indicated by bold text; graduate students are indicated by underlined text.

  • Manwaring, K., J. R. Jones and M. F. Whiting. (2014) A phylogeny of the panorpid scorpionflies (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) based on molecular evidence: the evolution of visual systems. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (in prep).
  • Mugleston, J. D., H. Song, and M. F. Whiting. (2014) A comprehensive molecular phylogeny for katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (in prep).
  • Naegle, M., S. Bybee, and M. F. Whiting. (2014) The evolution of parasitism in earwigs (Insecta: Dermaptera). Systematic Entomology (in prep).
  • Manwaring, K. F., M. F. Whiting, and S. M. Bybee. (2014) Visual system of the common scorpionfly. (in prep).
  • Martin, G. C., M. A. Braham, M. F. Whiting, and S. M. Bybee. (2014) Molecular phylogeny of the Lampyridae (Insecta: Coleoptera). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (submitted)
  • Robertson, J. A, A. Ślipiński, M. Moulton, F. W. Shockley, A. Giorgi, N. P. Lord, D. D. McKenna, W. Tomaszewska, J. Forrester, K. B. Miller, M. F. Whiting and J. V. McHugh. (2014) Phylogeny and 3 classification of Cucujoidea and the recognition of a new superfamily Coccinelloidea (Coleoptera: Cucujiformia). Systematic Entomology (submitted).
  • Mugleston, J. D., S. M. Bybee, S. Ingley, H. Song, and M. F. Whiting. (2014) Reinventing the leaf: Multiple origins of crypsis and the leaf-like wings of katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). Systematic Entomology (submitted).
  • McElrath, T. C., J. A. Robertson, M. C. Thomas, J. Osborne, K. B. Miller, J. V. McHugh, and M. F. Whiting. 2014. A phylogenetic analysis of the basal Cucujoidea, with special consideration of the Cucujidae sensu lato (Coleoptera: Cucujiformia). Systematic Entomology (accepted).
  • Song, H., M. Moulton, and M. F. Whiting. 2014. Rampant nuclear insertion of mtDNA across diverse lineages within Orthoptera (Insecta). PLOS ONE . DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0110508
  • Cline, A. R., T. Smith, K. Miller, M. Moulton, M. F. Whiting, and P. Audisio. 2014. Molecular phylogeny of Nitidulidae: assessment of subfamilial and tribal classification, and formalization of the family Cybocephalidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea). Systematic Entomology DOI:10.1111/syen.12084
  • Bradler, S., J. A. Robertson, and M. F. Whiting. 2014. A molecular phylogeny of Phasmatodea with emphasis on Necrosciinae, the most species-rich subfamily of stick insects. Systematic Entomology. Published online Feb. 2014 (DOI: 10.1111/syen.12055).
  • Chen, H., G. Lin, J. Ma, J. Su, Z. Wang, M. F. Whiting, T. Zhang, and F. Zhao. 2014. Genomic resources notes accepted 1 February 2014-31 March 2014. Molecular Ecology Resources 14: 882.
  • Legendre, F., C. D’Haese, P. Deleporte, R. Pellens, M. F. Whiting, K. Schliep, and P. Grandcolas. 2013. The evolution of social behaviour in Blaberid cockroaches with diverse habitats and social systems: phylogenetic analysis of behavioural sequences. Biol. J. of the Linn. Soc. published online: 22 NOV 2013 DOI: 10.1111/bij.12199.
  • Mugleston, J. D., H. Song, and M. F. Whiting. 2013. A century of paraphyly: A molecular phylogeny of katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) supports multiple origins of leaf-like wings. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 69: 1120-1134.
  • Song, H., M. J. Moulton, K. D. Hiatt, M. F. Whiting. 2013. Uncovering historical signature of mitochondrial DNA hidden in the nuclear genome: The origin of the desert locust revisited. Cladistics 29: 643-662. Leavitt, J. R., K. D. Hiatt, M. F. Whiting, and H. Song. 2013. Searching for the optimal data partition strategy in mitochondrial phylogenomics: A phylogeny of Acridoidea (Insecta: Orthoptera: Caelifera) as a case study. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 67: 494-508.
  • Legendre, F., M. F. Whiting, and P. Grandcolas. 2013. Phylogenetic analyses of termite post-embryonic sequences illuminate caste and developmental pathway evolution. Evolution and Development 15: 146-157.
  • Robertson, J. A., S. A. Slipinski, K. Hiatt, K. B. Miller, M. F. Whiting, and J. V. McHugh. 2013. Molecules, morphology, and minute hooded beetles: a phylogenetic study with implications for the evolution and classification of Corylophidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea). Systematic Entomology 38: 209-232.
  • Buckman, R. S., L. A. Mound, and M. F. Whiting. 2013. Phylogeny of thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera) based on five molecular loci. Systematic Entomology 38:123-133.

External Grants: Data generated by my undergraduate students not only resulted in publications, but also form the preliminary data used in NSF grants proposals. Over the past 5 years, the Whiting lab has submitted 19 grants proposals to NSF including to the Tree of Life Program (3), Systematics Panel (7), Dissertation Improvement Grant Panel (2), Digitization TCN Panel (3), Research for Undergraduate Institutions Panel (2), and as REU supplements (2). Of these, we received funding on the REU supplements, the Dissertation Improvement Grant, the TCN grant ($175K/3 years), and a major grant from the systematics panel ($800K over 5 years, Co-PI with Seth Bybee as lead PI). The other grants were declined, but are being revised for resubmission, with two proposals targeted for the January preproposal deadline. All of these grants included data and analyses that were generated via undergraduate mentoring in the lab, and include funding that will support student research. In particular, the data collected in this project formed the basis for a NSF proposal which, if funded, will include 5 years of undergraduate support.

Description of how the Budget was Spent: The funding provided by ORCA was combined with NSF funds to support lab supplies, travel, and student salaries.

Summary: This report provides a brief summary of undergraduate accomplishments based on ORCA mentoring support. Additional, specific information on the accomplishments of individual undergraduate students can be provided upon request. I feel a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to work with such high caliber students, and am grateful to ORCA for supporting the undergraduates in my lab. This mentored learning opportunity is directly blessing the lives of my students (and to the life of the PI), and I hope for continued support so that these sorts of experiences can be provided for additional students.