This project will involve examinations of the biodiversity and evolutionary relationships of siphonariid gastropods, limpet-like snails that are found on sea shores worldwide. These snails are unusual in that they are pulmonate snails that breathe with a 'lung', rather than the gills typical of most marine snails, making them difficult to place in an evolutionary framework. The project will rely heavily on specimens present in museum collections and will also involve an expedition to Singapore to collect new material and train students in field techniques. The determination and description of species and the higher level relationships among these species will be made using morphology and DNA sequence data.
This group of snails has never been thoroughly examined and a taxonomic revision is the only way to learn about the group's true diversity. This project will enhance our understanding of pulmonate snail relationships and address questions about the evolutionary transitions between aquatic and terrestrial habitats (pulmonates successfully live on land, in freshwater and in the sea). This work will serve as a case study for the discussion of conceptual issues of general interest in taxonomy and biodiversity research. Education and research will be integrated through a series of field, laboratory and outreach activities, and special efforts will be made to include members of groups underrepresented in science. Results will be published as articles and monographs and computer-based activities are integrated within the project.
