Biosystematics, informatics and genomics of the big 4 insect groups: training tomorrow's researchers and entrepreneurs

Projects

Phylogenomics of gall wasps and their parasitic relatives
Objectives: Gall wasps (Cynipidae) comprise the largest radiation of gall-inducing insects that can control plant morphogenesis with astounding accuracy. That control mechanism still unknown, and the evolutionary origin and early diversification of g... show more
Origin and diversification of hoverflies: a revision of the genera Asarkina and Allobaccha
Objectives: Syrphidae, commonly called hover or flower flies, is one of the most diverse families of Diptera very attractive for citizen-scientists. Phylogenetic relationships among its main subfamilies and genera are still not totally understood; es... show more
The evolutionary history of Lepidoptera
Objectives: The diversity of Lepidoptera is famously tied to the diversity of angiosperm plants20, but the evolutionary history behind this tight association is still not clear although the latter has been under intense scrutiny lately. But it has be... show more
Integrating fossils and recent taxa in the study of rove beetles systematics
Objectives: With ca. 60,000 recent species, rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) are among the best examples of mega-diverse taxa that always were, and still are, super-challenging for systematic studies. All previous attempts to retrieve a relia... show more