Research Foci in Invertebrate Zoology
The so-called "higher flies" are one of the most diverse groups of organisms on Earth. Predaceous, parasitic, scavenging, and herbivorous life histories are represented.
Laboratory rearings and population-level sampling are done to elucidate the basic biology and ecology of acalyptrates. Families studied include Ephydridae, Sciomyzidae, Chloropidae, Tephritidae, and Otitidae.
Representative specimens of adults and immature stages are present in the CMNH Invertebrate Zoology collections.
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Tetanocera robusta male pictured (Sciomyzidae).
Photo by Y. Gutierrez, CMNH. |
Microcaddisflies are the most species rich family of Trichoptera in the world, but relatively little is known about their basic biology. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History has one of the best collections of immature stages (eggs, larvae, pupae) identified to species. All specimens are Nearctic in origin, and the collection is especially strong in material from California, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
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Fifth instar Oxyehtira pallida pictured. Photo by J. B. Keiper, CMNH. |
CMNH staff assist the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office by obtaining and analyzing insects from bodies whose deaths appear to be under mysterious or suspicious circumstances. Insect evidence from a body can give details as to the time between death and body discovery, corpse movement, and cause death.
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Phaenicia sericata thrid instar pictured. Photo by J. B. Keiper, CMNH. |
Global Climate Change
CMNH and Case Western Reserve University Biologists collaborated to determine how global climate change affects the basic biology of the organisms around us. Dr. Andrew Swanson is an expert in the biology of algae, a commonly used food source for insects in our lakes and stream. Rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide can make algae less nutritious and produce increased levels of secondary compounds (that is, they produce more defensive chemicals making algae less palatable).
Using microcaddisflies that graze on algae we showed that increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, a primary gas implicated in global warming, can have significant effects on the development and behavior of insects. That is, if their food source is impacted, the grazing insects will be affected in turn. The paper we published showed that algae become more toxic, and this resulted in altered developmental behavior. These caddisfly larvae build cases (see illustration) around their bodies for protection and other purposes. Those larvae fed algae grown under increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide would not engage in case-building behavior until later in their life, showing a slowed development. This could have important population growth and predation implications.
We published our results in the Journal of Freshwater Ecology:
Swanson, A. K., S. Hrinda, and J. B. Keiper. 2007. Effects of altered atmospheric carbon dioxide on green algal (Chlophyta) nutritional quality and caddisfly (Trichoptera) growth and survival. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 22:49-60.
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Two microcaddisfly larvae from grazing experiments. Photo by J. Keiper and A. Swanson. |
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Lab cultures of the filamentous green alga Zygnema grown at low, ambient, and high levels of atmospheric CO2 levels. Photo by J. Keiper and A. Swanson. |
Taxonomy of Parasitic Wasps
Braconid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are one of the many diverse families of parasitic wasps. During their larval stage, parasitic wasps feed on other invertebrates. A taxonomic revision of the genus /Microctonus/ is underway at the Museum. This group contains approximately two dozen undescribed species in North America. These animals have potential use in the biological control of agricultural pests. In fact, two species of /Microctonus/ are important in the control of the alfalfa weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: /Hypera postica/) in northeastern North America.
Work on new species of the family Diapriidae is also underway. These wasps normally measure < 2 mm in total length, and their small size often deters entomologists from working with them. However, like many wasp families, there is a richness of biodiversity to be understood by looking at the world's smallest creatures!
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Microctonus sp. |
Moths and butterflies are not only beautiful, but they are species rich and important ecologically. CMNH staff supports the Ohio Lepidopterists efforts to maintain the Long Term Butterfly Survey. Currently, 47 transects are maintained throughout Ohio, many of which have been monitored since 1996.
The Department of Invertebrate Zoology also is conducting a Long Term Moth Survey, which began in 1998. Results from the first 3 years of effort are reported in Coleman et al. (2004).
Wetlands, including marshes, bogs, fens, swamps, and vernal pools, are among the most endangered of our precious freshwater habitats. They not only provide direct economic benefits such as flood control, groundwater recharge, waterfowl breeding grounds, sport fish breeding habitat, and recreational sites, but they are natural areas of high productivity and biodiversity. Despite this, unwise development and contamination threaten these ecosystems. Research is conducted that focuses on invertebrate diversity and population ecology, the effects of management practices on resident invertebrates, and mosquito ecology within various wetland habitats in northern Ohio.
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CMNH "Adopt-A-Student" Elizabeth "Biz" Turnell, then a junior at Yale University, collects macroinvertebrates from newly created vernal pools near Mentor Marsh, Lake County, Ohio, June 2002. Photo by J. B. Keiper, CMNH. |