mcguire center news A newsletter of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity n Florida Museum of Natural History n APRIL 2014 FROM THE EDITOR: Andrei Sourakov ______________________________ IN THIS ISSUE: This issue marks the 10th year of the McGuire Center’s n History of the Collection existence. In 10 years, considerable progress has been n McGuire Center Research made, far beyond the scope that can be covered in a single newsletter. Our collections have more than doubled n New Endowment Fund in size. The number of students currently working on n Staff and Student News degrees at the McGuire Center has quadrupled. The n Publications 2013-14 volume of research papers published by staff and students has increased annually, beginning with 20-30 publications per year just 10 years ago to the current rate of 60-70 papers per year. The research itself has become more diverse with our labs using techniques not in existence 10 years ago. In this issue, we provide an overview of the collections and their uses, as well A caterpillar of the Apollo butterfly, Parnassius apollo (Papilionidae). as select snippets of McGuire Center research. History of the McGuire Center’s collection Geographic and taxonomic strengths The collections of the McGuire Center are a result The McGuire Center’s collections include specimens of efforts of thousands of people over the last two from around the world. While there has been a centuries. It is not unusual to find specimens larger emphasis on research in the Americas, recent predating the Great Depression, and there are entire acquisitions from the Palearctic region include many subsets of specimens from the end of the 19th century groups, for which the McGuire Center now has and the early 20th century. Though many specimens collections that rival the best European museums. have been collected by professional entomologists, a The collection is comprehensive taxonomically with large portion of the collection is a result of contributions more than 90 percent of all butterfly genera and the from amateur lepidopterists. On average, the McGuire majority of described species. Though new butterfly Center receives 30-40 donations per year, ranging species are described monthly, the greatest work for from several specimens to more than a million. future taxonomists lies in describing the rich moth fauna of the tropics. • Two major Lepidoptera collections existed in Florida in the public domain prior to the construction of the • The greatest diversity of McGuire Center: one as a subset of the Florida State life, including Lepidoptera, A Junior Volunteer works in the collections. Collection of Arthropods, and the other in the Florida is in the tropics. Museum of Natural History’s Allyn Museum in Sarasota. • There are over 150,000 • In 2004, these two collections and respective curators described species of were brought under one roof and additional staff Lepidoptera from more hired as part of the state of Florida matching funds to than 120 families, most the founding gift from the McGuire Family Foundation. of which are moths. • Today, about 50 students, postdocs, preparators, • The need for further collecting research associates and staff members are working is urgent: faunas are disappearing at the McGuire Center, comprising the largest at an astounding rate, and years group of Lepidoptera researchers in the world. from now, many species will go • McGuire Center researchers have produced extinct without being described. more than 400 scientific publications since • Collections are the only way to preserve 2004. Researchers worldwide also have produced a trace of what is being destroyed by development. numerous publications as a result of their work while visiting the collections or borrowing specimens. MCGUIRE CENTER NEWS ISSN # 1938-3029 How is the collection used? • Preliminary evidence from several species Editor: Andrei Sourakov, [email protected] The development of genetic methods brought new shows butterflies and moths have shifted Copy Editor: Paul Ramey life into collections-based research. Taxonomic their distributions over the last century. Graphic Designer: Andreina Hornez Peralta research, which remains important for understanding • It remains unclear whether certain species are biodiversity, is poorly funded, and hence few more affected than others, but we predict they Photography: Ortiz, Elena may be. Chuvilin, Alexandr Padrón, Pablo Sebastián students are being taught to become taxonomists Daniels, Jaret Reeves, Lary in the traditional understanding of this word. • This study will digitize Museum specimens Gallice, Geoff Shahan, Thomas However, molecular methods, fashionable and to determine how distribution patterns, Grace, Kristen Sourakov, Andrei morphology, phenology and other factors Houlihan, Peter Warren, Andrew sometimes efficient, have developed to a point have changed. Martin, Kate Willmott, Keith where a dry piece of tissue, such as a leg from a specimen collected many years ago, offers a DNA • We are currently seeking funding from the McGuire Center Staff source that can be sequenced. National Science Foundation and other Ahmed, Muhammed, Ph.D., Postdoc granting agencies to study these phenomena. Anderson, Amanda, Tech. Research Assist. (undergrad) Examples of collection uses: Badon, Jade, Graduate Assistant Barszczak, Lukasz, Tech. Research Assist. (undergrad) • Photography: books, monographs, websites, Bliss, Andrew, Tech. Research Assist. (undergrad) field guides. Discovery of the Pink-spot Breinholt, Jesse, Ph.D., Postdoc • Dissections: morphological research, Sulphur butterfly in Florida Bremer, John, Tech. Research Assists. taxonomy, systematics. Calhoun, John, Research Associate (Pieridae: Aphrissa neleis) Checa, Maria Fernanda, Graduate Assistant • Data mining: conservation policies, • This species was first detected from Florida Covell, Charles V., Ph.D., Curator of Lepidoptera distribution maps, climate change. during the re-curation of the genus Aphrissa Daniels, Jaret C., Ph.D., Associate Curator, Director • Tissue samples: DNA-based research Eliazar, Christine M., Program Assistant in the McGuire collections; it had been on genetics of wing patterns, taxonomy, Emmel, Thomas C., Ph.D., Founding Director misidentified as a similar species. Aphrissa neleis Ficarrotta, Vincent, Tech. Research Assist. (undergrad) DNA bar coding, phylogenetics (studying is otherwise known from Cuba and Andros. Gallice, Geoffrey, Graduate Assistant evolutionary relationships). • Specimens from 1959 and the 1980s were Gionti, Michelle, Tech. Research Assist. (undergrad) • Identifications of pests sent from the quarantine Grishin, Nick, Ph.D., Research Associate found in the collections, documenting a facilities at U.S. Customs and USDA. Hay-Roe, Mirian Medina, Ph.D., Research Associate new U.S. record; in 2011 McGuire researchers Hayden, James, Ph.D., FSCA Curator of Lepidoptera • Voucher specimen depository. This includes suggested the possibility the species may still Heppner, John B., Ph.D., Curator of Lepidoptera type specimens, the “standard” on which a reside in southern Florida. Hill, Geena, Technical Research Assistant new species is described. Homziak, Nick, Graduate Assistant • In late 2011, a review of photos submitted Houlihan, Peter, Graduate Assistant by amateur South Florida photographers Jia, Qianju, Graduate Assistant revealed many Aphrissa neleis from the Johns, Chris, Graduate Assistant Kawahara, Akito Y., Ph.D., Assistant Curator 2000s, confirming its continued presence of Lepidoptera in southern Florida. Koi, Sandy, Graduate Assistant • In early 2012, the caterpillar food plant for Lane, Katrina, Technical Research Assistant A. neleis was determined as the non-native Lott, Deborah Matthews, Ph.D., Biological Scientist Lukhtanov, Vladimir, Ph.D., Visiting Scientist & Curator Lysiloma sabicu, and the butterfly was then Miller, Jacqueline Y., Ph.D., Curator of Lepidoptera found in most areas where this tree has been Nakahara, Shinichi, Graduate Assistant planted in southeast Florida. Ortíz, Elena, Graduate Assistant Padrón, Pablo Sebastián, Graduate Assistant Paulay, Yaneke, Tech. Research Assist. (undergrad) Reference: Warren, A. D. & J. V. Calhoun. 2012. Park, K. T., Ph.D., Research Associate & Visiting Curator A treasure hidden in plain sight: Aphrissa neleis is Pence, J. Akers, Ph.D., Research Associate a resident in southern Florida, USA (Lepidoptera: Plotkin, David, Technical Research Assistant Pieridae: Coliadinae). News of The Lepidopterists’ Ponce, Francesca, Tech. Research Assist. (undergrad) In 2007, McGuire researchers described a new species Qianju, Jia, Graduate Assistant of Owl butterfly, Opsiphanes blythekitzmillerae. Society 53(4):133-134. Reeves, Lary, Graduate Assistant Rossetti, Kristin, Library Assistant Roulette, Emma, Tech. Research Assist. (undergrad) Utilizing museum collections to Rowland, Eve, Technical Research Assistant (HS) study the impact of climate change Schlachta, James B., Operations, Assistant Director Scriber, Mark, Ph.D., Research Associate on butterflies and moths Segebarth, Craig L., Technical Research Assistant Human-mediated environmental change is Segebarth, Ian K., Technical Research Assistant Sourakov, Alexandra, Technical Research Assistant (HS) affecting the distribution of many organisms Sourakov, Andrei, Ph.D., Collections Coordinator on the planet, including butterflies and moths. Standridge, Matthew, Technical Research Assistant Museum specimens provide a rich source of Streifel, Marissa, Technical Research