title: Advances using molecular data in insect systematics.
abstract: The size of molecular datasets has been growing exponentially since the mid 1980s, and new technologies have now dramatically increased the slope of this increase. New datasets include genomes, transcriptomes, and hybrid capture data, producing hundreds or thousands of loci. With these datasets, we are approaching a consensus on the higher level insect phylogeny. Huge datasets can produce new challenges in interpreting branch support, and new opportunities in developing better models and more sophisticated partitioning schemes. Dating analyses are improving as we recognize the importance of careful fossil calibration selection. With thousands of genes now available, coalescent methods have come of age. Barcode libraries continue to expand, and new methods are being developed for incorporating them into phylogenies with tens of thousands of individuals.
authors.affiliation: Rutgers University, Department of Biological Sciences, 415 Boyden Hall, Newark, NJ 07012, USA.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kjer
authors.affiliation: University of Rochester, 226 Hutchison Hall, Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
authors.forename: Marek L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Borowiec
authors.affiliation: Smithsonian Institution, Office of Research Information Services, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Washington, D.C. 20024, USA.
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Frandsen
authors.affiliation: Rutgers University, Department of Biological Sciences, 415 Boyden Hall, Newark, NJ 07012, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ware
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA. Electronic address: bwiegman@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Wiegmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002965:Classification / Q000379:methods*; D004772:Entomology / Q000639:trends*; D005580:Fossils; D007313:Insecta / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D008967:Molecular Biology; D010802:Phylogeny