Shining a spotlight on dark taxa: an Integrated approach to species identification of Australian Museum black corals (Cnidaria: Antipatharia) (Old ID 27103)
Role
Chief Investigator
Description
I will image and identify black corals housed in AMRI based on branching pattern, spine attributes; and, polyp attributes as defined by the literature. Spines will be examined via imaging with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Specimens that cannot be identified from morphological features will be subject to molecular phylogenetic analysis (UltraConserved Elements [UCEs] and exon sequencing). I will extract DNA from tissue, and send DNA to Arbor Biosciences, USA for targeted UCE and exon sequencing. Phyluce software will be used for post-sequencing analyses, and maximum likelihood inference will be conducted on each alignment to add AMRI species to my UCE black coral phylogenetic tree.
Date
30 Oct 2020 - 30 Oct 2021
Project Type
GRANT
Keywords
Antipatharia;Phylogenetics;Ultraconserved Elements;Museum collections
Funding Body
Australian Museum Research Institute
Amount
4000
Project Team
Tom Bridge