PhD Program of Study Progress

• Scheduling Quals for the Spring
• To Do – email committee with update and to schedule date

Chapter 2: Invasion history of X. crassiusculus

• Library containing the following individuals sequenced.
• To Do – Analyze data!

• Brunei	1
  Cameroon	8
  China	20
  Ghana	12
  Ankasa	9
  Kakum	3
  Honduras	3
  Indonesia	12
  Japan	20
  Aichi	6
  Iriomote Is.	2
  Okinawa	12
  Madagascar	8
  Malaysia	2
  New Guinea	7
  Taiwan	7
  Thailand	4
  USA	111
  AR	5
  FL	24
  GA	23
  Hawaii	7
  MD	8
  NC	12
  SC	12
  VA	20
  Grand Total	215

Chapter 3: What is a species? Molecular and morphological delineation of the X. ferrugineus/bispinatus species complex

• Begin with measurements of simple characters of a few practice specimens. For example, width, length, elytra, and color
• To Do – practice mounting elytra
• To Do – Finalize specimen list
• To Do – Plan collecting trip for the Spring?

Chapter 4: Invasion history of an outbreeding invader D. valens

• Follow up on acquisition of specimens
• Finalize specimen numbers
• Begin dissections

Follow op on program of study petition
– Jiri will check petition status
– Have acquired all committee signatures approving change in program of study requirements

Ch. 1: Lit. Review
– Should only be ~4 pages and structured to provide introductory material for each chapter

Ch. 2: Global population structure of X. crassiussculus
– Anticipated timeline is to have DNA extracted from abdominal muscle tissue by mid-May for Adam Payton to prepare sequencing library.
– May need more Chinese specimens for Ch. 4
– Specimens & Locations
Ghana – 26
Honduras – 3
Japan – 26
Malaysia – 3
New Guinea – 26
Taiwan – 6
Thailand – 24
Hawaii – 10
China – 5 (Need more. Will be going through Craig’s specimens)
Cameroon – 6
SE US – 56

Ch. 3: Continuous morophological variation in X. ferrugineus/bispinatus
– Need Jiri to contact Tom Atkinson about future collaboration on this project.
– In the process of acquiring an assistant to began sorting specimens and assessing morphological variation.
– Need to finalize number of specimens and locations.
– Specimens & Locations
X. bispinatus
North Carolina – 6
Georgia – 45
Florida – 165
Honduras – 2
X. ferrugineus
North Carolina – 8
Georgia – 12
Florida – 171
Costa Rica – 5
Honduras – 49
Panama – 7

Ch. 4: Pop. Structure and diversity of inbreeding and outbreeding Scolytines in their native and exotic ranges
– Comparing X. crassiusculus to Dendroctonus valens
– Need lot more D. valens specimens. Jiri will contact some folks about this.
– Specimens & Locations
X. crassiusculus
Same as Ch.2
Dendroctonus valens (list of all available specimens)
Michigan – 10
Wisconsin – 2
California – 3

Other: Wallacellus spp. phylogenetic revision
– Adding new X. eurygraphus sequences to test multiple hypothesis for phylogenetic relationships between similis, piceus, and Euwallace
– Also adding X. horrius and Cyclorhipidion spp. sequences when building new phylogeny, which is for another project

• Investigating a collecting expedition to either Taiwan or Okinawa and Iriomote in Japan. Contacting Drs. Roger Beaver and Phill Ward to ask about taxonomic richness at these locations.
• Picking samples of Xylosandrus crassiusculus for RAD trial run with Stuart McDaniel’s lab
• Currently troubleshooting DNA extraction methods
• Optimizing qPCR methods with Sedonia