Insect Phylogenetics — Blaschke Lab

We use phylogenetics (i.e. creating hypotheses about how animals have changed through time using physical traits and/or DNA) to explore questions about host use, species diversity, and diversification of bug-killing flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) and cricket-assassin wasps (Hymenoptera: Rhopalosomatidae).

Student Researchers

2022

Charis Murrey - A new species of cricket-assassin wasp: Rhopalosoma cupressi (Hymenoptera: Rhopalosomatidae).

Nick Lewis - Investigating Intra-generic Relationships Among Rhopalosomatid Wasps Using a Multi-Gene Phylogeny

2021

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Bailey Krebs - Molecular Phylogenetics of the Cricket-Assassin Wasps (Hymenoptera: Rhopalosomatidae)

Christopher Johnson - Investigating the Molecular Evolution of COI as Evidence of Potential Synonymy of Paniscomima and Rhopalosoma (Rhopalosomatidae)

2019

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Edward Sickle - The first recorded host for the assassin fly (Xanthomelanodes atripennis) and a phylogenetic analysis of the genus.

2017

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Katherine Caid - Determining Cryptic Species Diversity in Feather-footed Flies (Trichopoda spp.)

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Erin Noel - Using DNA Barcoding to Accurately Identify Species of the Parasitoid Fly Cylindromyia

Evolution of phasiine piercers used to inject eggs into stink bug hosts. From Blaschke et al. (2018).

Novel Antibiotics From Insects

Insect Biology and Behavior

Faith and Science