- Johannes BergstenDNA barcoding is a method for species identification based on a standardized mitochondrial generegion. A database of the chosen gene (the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1) for every species is being assembled by researchers around the world and will be available as an identification tool for any unknown sample.DNA Barcoding Dermestidae beetles and applications for integrated pest management - Yngve Brodin, Johannes BergstenSpecies of Dermestidae are global pest for museums, archives and libraries actually eating up the cultural heritage. DNA barcoding of exuviae, larvae and adults of common pest species of Nordic countries may result in better knowledge of specific actions against different species. - Sibylle NoackThis is a PhD project, funded by Stockholm UniversityGlobal diversity of Cynipoidea especially Eucoilinae - Mattias ForshageThe Eucoilinae and some smaller subfamilies of the Figitidae are poorly known worldwide, in some areas a large portion of the genera are undescribed, and the identity of the few described species is unknown. The major revision of this group begun in the 1970s continues. Applying solid generic concepts, sorting material from large-scale trappings, and formally erecting the wealth of hitherto undescribed genera, is a prerequisite for constructing useful identification keys and catalogs for each zoogeographic region, in parallell with more general concerns of phylogeny, biogeography, species numbers estimates, host relationship documentation, etc. Far advanced projects concern the Nearctic fauna and the Afrotropical fauna (as well as the fauna of Australia) in collaboration with scientists of several institutions/museums worldwide. The rest of the Oceanic region, as well as the Oriental-East Palearctic fauna will come next, and finally the very diverse and very partially known Neotropical fauna. This ties in with projects of larger scope for assembling and coordinating the knowledge of the Cynipoidea.Library of DNA barcodes of Baltic sea Chironomidae midges - Yngve Brodin, Thomas LyrholmDNA barcoding has shown to be useful for species delimitation of Chironomidae, e.g. providing new information on species synonyms, and applicable for scientific and sociatal needs such as environmental monitoring. COI-gene analyses of chironomids from almost 200 sites along the Baltic coast forms the basis for the development of a barcode library of the majority of the chironomid species of the Batlic sea including all common species found in standardized monitoring samples.Phylogenetic Projects on Water Beetles - Johannes BergstenThere are several ongoing projects of using both DNA data and morphology to estimate the evolutionary relationship in groups of water beetles. The evolutionary trees are used both to improve classifications and to test various evolutionary hypotheses. Due to differences in offspring investment, mating interacations can often be characterized by conflicts between the sexes over e.g. frequency or timing of mating. These conflicts can give rise to antagonistic arms races between the sexes on various levels.Taxonomy and systematics of Euphorinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) - Julia StigenbergThis is a PhD project, funded by the Swedish Taxonomy InitiativeTaxonomy of Northwest Palearctic Eucoilinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) - Mattias ForshageEucoilinae is a poorly known group of parasitic wasps despite some groundbreaking work made in the 70s and 80s in Sweden. The major accomplishments then was to settle generic concepts that were based on type studies as well as phylogenetic concerns. Yet to this date only a few genera have been revised on the species level, and perhaps most species remain undescribed even here in one of the best known areas. Thorough museum searches and even more the extensive trapping in the Swedish Malaise Trap Project has made a lot of material available, and it is now being studied, new taxa described and taxonomic concepts tested. So far in this project a European catalog and an identification key to European genera have been produced, a tribal classification reintroduced, some minor genera have been revised, the major part of a revision of one of the largest genera (Trybliographa) has been carried out, as a PhD project funded by the Swedish Taxonomy Initiative. Currently, revisions of most other genera in the region are ongoing, now as a postdocproject with Mattias Forshage funded by the Swedish Taxonomy InitiativeThe Water Beetle Fauna of Madagascar - Johannes BergstenMadagascar is a fantastic hotspot for biodiversity where most animal and plant species are endemic, i.e. they occur nowhere else in the world. But it is also severely threatened from slash and burn agriculture, illegal logging, mining and leasing of land, activities that have left less than 10% of the original forest intact. The insect fauna ofMadagascaris in most groups very poorly known and this project aims at exploring and documenting the water beetle fauna of Madagascar. We have discovered many new species over the course of several expeditions across Madagascar between 2004-2008. DNA is extracted from all collected material to be used in species delimitation tests and phylogenetic analyses.
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 Euphorinae
 Suphrodytes dorsalis (D. Sharp Coll.). Photo: H. Taylor
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