Document Type
Honors Project On-Campus Access Only
Abstract
Rakaia is the largest genus of family Pettalidae (Suborder Cyphophthalmi, Order Opiliones) in New Zealand; however, we have yet to grasp a complete understanding of their diversity because of limited sampling and old specimen age. I describe four morphological species from the Wellington area of New Zealand, identify novel cuticular structures previously not found in this genus, and generate a phylogeny of genus Rakaia by targeting ultraconserved elements (UCEs), which allow analysis of hundreds of genes across the genome from decades-old specimens and inference of species- to higher taxon-level divergences. This was the first attempt at using next-generation sequencing techniques for New Zealand mite harvestmen at the species level. I discuss the implication of using UCEs for this group, and identify future directions for utilizing these high-resolution phylogenies to test biogeographical hypotheses in the context of Gondwanan vicariance.
Recommended Citation
Morisawa, Rina, "Sequencing Ultraconserved Elements in New Zealand Mite Harvestman Genus Rakaia" (2020). Biology Honors Projects. 21.
https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/biology_honors/21
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