EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY WITHIN COREOIDEA
Currently, I am investigating the evolutionary history of the Superfamily Coreoidea (leaf-footed bugs and allies), which has been poorly investigated. To address this, I am using ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to infer the history of ~330 species within Coreoidea. Not only will this clarify the phylogenetic positions of many higher-level groups, it will also serve as a foundation to investigate evolutionary questions on, for example, biogeographic history and the evolution of sexually selected weapons. Our phylogenetic results to-date indicate that the taxonomic classification at all levels within this group is in critical need of revision, which is a long-term future direction; prospective graduate students and postdocs interested in taxonomic revisions within the Coreidae should look here.
Featured publications:
Forthman, M., Downie, C., Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T. 2023. Evolution of stridulatory mechanisms: vibroacoustic communication may be common in leaf-footed bugs and allies (Heteroptera: Coreoidea). R. Soc. Open Sci., 10: 221348. [PDF]
Forthman, M., Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T. 2022. Phylogenomic analysis with improved taxon sampling corroborates an Alydidae + Hydarinae + Pseudophloeinae clade (Heteroptera: Coreoidea: Alydidae, Coreidae). Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 22: 669–679. [Link]
Forthman, M., Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T. 2020. Phylogenomics of the leaf-footed bug subfamily Coreinae (Hemiptera: Coreidae). Insect Systematics & Diversity, 4: 2. [Link]
Forthman, M., Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T. 2019. Phylogenomic analysis suggests Coreidae and Alydidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) are not monophyletic. Zool. Scr., 48: 520–534. [PDF]
Featured publications:
Forthman, M., Downie, C., Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T. 2023. Evolution of stridulatory mechanisms: vibroacoustic communication may be common in leaf-footed bugs and allies (Heteroptera: Coreoidea). R. Soc. Open Sci., 10: 221348. [PDF]
Forthman, M., Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T. 2022. Phylogenomic analysis with improved taxon sampling corroborates an Alydidae + Hydarinae + Pseudophloeinae clade (Heteroptera: Coreoidea: Alydidae, Coreidae). Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 22: 669–679. [Link]
Forthman, M., Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T. 2020. Phylogenomics of the leaf-footed bug subfamily Coreinae (Hemiptera: Coreidae). Insect Systematics & Diversity, 4: 2. [Link]
Forthman, M., Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T. 2019. Phylogenomic analysis suggests Coreidae and Alydidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) are not monophyletic. Zool. Scr., 48: 520–534. [PDF]
Evolution of sexually selected weapons in Coreoidea
There is an impressive diversity of weapons throughout the animal kingdom, many of which function for survival (e.g., defense and attack in predator-prey interactions). However, some of the most extravagant — you might even think ridiculous looking — weapons are ones that are used by members of the same sex in a species for territorial contests and mate acquisition. These structures have long captured people's attention, yet, we still have long-standing questions about weapon diversity and evolution. As part of my prior postdoctoral research in Dr. Christine W. Miller's lab at the University of Florida (and on-going collaboration), I am investigating the evolution of sexually selected weapons in the Coreoidea. For many species in this group, the hind legs are sexually selected weapons that exhibit variation in size, shape, and armature. Fighting behaviors are also variable across these species; e.g., some grapple end-to-end, while others kick, flip, and squeeze one another.
Featured publications:
Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T., Forthman, M. (In press). Evolution of multi-component weapons in the superfamily of leaf-footed bugs. Evolution, Early Access.
There is an impressive diversity of weapons throughout the animal kingdom, many of which function for survival (e.g., defense and attack in predator-prey interactions). However, some of the most extravagant — you might even think ridiculous looking — weapons are ones that are used by members of the same sex in a species for territorial contests and mate acquisition. These structures have long captured people's attention, yet, we still have long-standing questions about weapon diversity and evolution. As part of my prior postdoctoral research in Dr. Christine W. Miller's lab at the University of Florida (and on-going collaboration), I am investigating the evolution of sexually selected weapons in the Coreoidea. For many species in this group, the hind legs are sexually selected weapons that exhibit variation in size, shape, and armature. Fighting behaviors are also variable across these species; e.g., some grapple end-to-end, while others kick, flip, and squeeze one another.
Featured publications:
Miller, C.W., Kimball, R.T., Forthman, M. (In press). Evolution of multi-component weapons in the superfamily of leaf-footed bugs. Evolution, Early Access.
Evolution of resource allocation tradeoffs in Coreoidea
The weapons seen in the Coreoidea are energetically costly to develop and maintain. Males that grow larger weapons may invest less in testes and sperm and vice versa. Currently, I'm involved in a large comparative study investigating tradeoffs in leaf-footed bugs. Specifically, we are investigating the presence of this tradeoff among 14+ leaf-footed bug species. We will use techniques to reconstruct ancestral states to trace tradeoffs across the evolutionary history of Coreoidea. With the results of this study, we can investigate if such tradeoffs have influenced weapon diversity.
The weapons seen in the Coreoidea are energetically costly to develop and maintain. Males that grow larger weapons may invest less in testes and sperm and vice versa. Currently, I'm involved in a large comparative study investigating tradeoffs in leaf-footed bugs. Specifically, we are investigating the presence of this tradeoff among 14+ leaf-footed bug species. We will use techniques to reconstruct ancestral states to trace tradeoffs across the evolutionary history of Coreoidea. With the results of this study, we can investigate if such tradeoffs have influenced weapon diversity.