A Phylogenetic Study of All the Dragonflies & Damselflies

I was just recently invited to be part of a team planning to map the phylogenetic relationships of Order Odonata.

quote:

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"The main aim of the project is to bring together a massive amount of molecular (5200 species x 500 loci) and morphological data to create a large, well-supported phylogeny, to use to organize data such as distribution, ecology and conservation status in a phylogenetic context. The total dataset will become freely available and accessible as soon as the project is finished. However, contributors will have access to molecular data as soon as it is generated (i.e., during the project) and can use this for their own publications on taxonomy, biogeography, phylogeny or ecology. The project will likely result in a series of publications and the aim is to have all contributors involved in one or more of these publications."

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The team is led by by a friend who is one of the top molecular entomologists in the world. These sorts of projects are a lot of fun and deeply rewarding.

One of the prime reasons I keep coming back to this forum is because of the vast breadth of knowledge and skills that the regular contributors possess.
I am constantly amazed that I am internet acquaintances with such amazingly gifted and intelligent people. I am always learning something.Also, I am constantly amazed that uneducated creos think they know more than the highly educated scientists that contribute here.

That's why I'm here also.I wish I had the foresight to keep a log of how many PRATTs the creationists have tried to use over the years. Some of them were pretty creative...