Pursuit: using phylogenomics to uncover the diversity and evolutionary history of the family boreidae (insecta: mecoptera)

The National Science Foundation Division of Environmental Biology awarded the University of Alaska Fairbanks $746,168 on January 1, 2027, under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to conduct phylogenomic research on snow scorpionflies (Mecoptera: Boreidae) and clarify their evolutionary relationships and species diversity.

The project will combine morphological, geographic, and genomic data through fieldwork and analysis of museum specimens to generate comprehensive, time-calibrated phylogenies for the family. Deliverables include whole genome sequences for most snow scorpionfly species—a first for the group—a curated museum collection of specimens, and an identification key for adults. Researchers will use phylogenetic analysis to clarify species boundaries and detect previously undiscovered species across the northern hemisphere where these cold-adapted, flightless insects are rarely observed.

The award supports STEM education and public engagement with emphasis on K-12 students through museum exhibits, online publication of results, and summer "bug camps" taught by researchers. Performance occurs in Fairbanks, Alaska, with a period of performance from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2029. The Biological Sciences program supports basic research to promote progress in biological sciences and strengthen the Nation's scientific enterprise.

Abstract

Insects are the most abundant and diverse animals on earth, but only a fraction of their total estimated diversity has been described. Even for described species, the biology, distribution, and evolutionary history of most species is poorly known. Snow scorpionflies are a group of small, flightless, cold adapted insects which are neither scorpions nor flies. They are found throughout the northern hemisphere, and the majority of species are rarely seen. This has resulted in many unanswered questions about these mysterious animals. This project will combine morphological, geographic, and genomic data to better understand these unusual, rare insects. IT will help document and name overlooked and previously undiscovered species. IT will also help clarify the evolutionary relationships of this group. This will result in a curated museum collection of snow scorpionflies and a key to identify adults. The project will also produce the first whole genome sequences for most snow scorpionfly species. These products will be an asset to future biological, physiological, and evolutionary research on this group. The results from this project will be shared freely online, as well as through museum exhibits, outreach, and summer ?BUG camps? Taught by the researchers. These will increase scientific literacy and interest through stem education and public engagement, with an emphasis on k-12 students. This project will examine the diversity and evolutionary relationships of snow scorpionflies (mecoptera: boreidae) via phylogenomics. Researchers will conduct fieldwork and sample museum specimens to generate genomic and morphological datasets. These data will be used to infer a comprehensive, time-calibrated phylogeny for the family. In addition to elucidating phylogenetic relationships, the phylogeny will be used to clarify species boundaries and allow for detection of overlooked cryptic diversity and to inform an updated taxonomy of the group. The phylogeny will also be used to infer the biogeographic history of the boreidae and to identify factors that may have contributed to current and historic distributions. As a whole, these outcomes will result in a strong evolutionary and taxonomic understanding of this group and help rectify the data deficient nature of this group. The publicly available whole genome sequences generated will propel future work on the boreidae and help bring the group into the current genomic age of science. One of the few remaining unresolved order-level phylogenetic questions in the insecta is the relationship between the orders mecoptera and siphonaptera. As one of the potential sister families to the siphonaptera, boreid genomes will be a major asset in resolving this perplexing question. This project will train one postdoctoral researcher and two undergraduate students in advanced phylogenomic and bioinformatic methods, while also sustaining taxonomic expertise in the family boreidae. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.