Phenotypes in insect biodiversity research

Abstract

Introduction Introduction Phenotype data: past and... Phenotype data: present and... Challenges and future directions References Phenotypes, here defined as the observable characteristics of organisms, including morphology, behavior, and physiological products (e.g., nests and galls)--the results of gene expression, in an environment--are the primary data for research on the evolution and taxonomy of insects (Deans et al., 2012a). The shapes, textures, colors, or simply the presence or absence of anatomical features or behaviors help us determine taxa and guide our hypotheses regarding their evolutionary history. Phenotype data are relevant to most other research on insects as well, including biomechanics (Labonte and Federle, 2015), bioinspired engineering ( ...