Professor University of Memphis Memphis, Tennessee
Madagascar is an ancient ( >3200Ma) fragment of the continental landmass Gondwanaland. The island's geographical changes over millennia are thought to have supported the development of diverse and distinct eco-regions within which biodiversity has thrived. Among Malagasy insects, the longhorn beetle tribe Dorcasomini (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) is extraordinarily species-rich (257 species; approximately 70% of Dorcasomini), and all of the Malagasy species are endemic. Malagasy Dorcasomini are also known to exhibit diverse morphology. They vary in size (6-42mm), have various colors and shapes, and some species are thought to mimic other insects. In contrast to their well-known taxonomic diversity in Madagascar, the phylogeny of Dorcasomini, their timing and patterns of diversification and their biology have not been intensively studied. My research seeks to reconstruct the phylogeny and evolution of Malagasy Dorcasomini, including their diverse body forms, timing, and patterns of ecological and taxonomic diversification, geographic patterns of distribution and endemism, and temporal and geographic origins.