Postdoctoral Researcher Purdue University Lubbock, Texas
Morphology is one of the very first things that we learn when we start studying insects. It is the basic training needed to understand descriptions, keys, and classification. With training, specimens, and a stereoscope, an entire wealth of knowledge is open for us. In this presentation I will talk about the ways I have used morphology in my research, ranging from diagnostics and morphology-based phylogenetic studies, to using morphology in conjunction with molecular data to understand evolutionary trends. I will also present a glimpse to the future of morphological work: tools that can help us make more effective use of the morphological data that we study every day.
