Unraveling the library of Babel: phylogenomics and convergent evolution in ichneumonid wasps

Special seminar by Bernardo F. Santos, Ph.D., Peter Buck Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History

Can insect phylogenies, Argentinian literature and symbiotic viruses provide insight on the nature of our universe? The myriad species that compose the living world represent a remarkable challenge to researchers looking for common patterns in the history of life. One phenomenon suggested by some to present a "deep structure" of biology is convergent evolution, the appearance of similar traits in independent lineages. I will discuss how the integration of genomes, phylogenies and morphological data can help to illuminate the relationships between ecological traits, phenotypes and evolutionary history and place them in a unified conceptual framework.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO ATTEND