Isoptera (Termites)

are unique social insects that are involved in a complex symbiosis with cellulose-digesting microorganisms residing in their hindguts. Although Isoptera have been the subject of several phylogenetic studies, most have focused on the Termitidae, and the systematics of “lower” termites (i.e., the five non-termitid families) remains in debate. A thorough phylogenetic analysis of basal termite relationships is crucial to our understanding of the evolution of significant isopteran features such as social behavior and gut-symbiosis. My project will create the first total-evidence phylogenetic hypothesis of Isoptera with a thorough, global sample of lower termite species and extant fossil data. I have been using the clusters to run MrBayes analyses (on morphology + molecular data) to determine the phylogenetic relationships among termites. The phylogenies recovered using the cluster have been used for other analyses, such as divergence time studies and diversification rate tests.

-Jessica Ware