Dr. Ralph S. Peters

Head of Hymenoptera Section
Curator
Deputy Head of Department Arthropoda
Editor-in-chief Bonn zoological Bulletin

Hymenoptera

Tel: +49 228 9122-290

Fax: +49 228 9122-212

Mail: r.peters [at] leibniz-lib.de

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Profile

Research interests

Evolutionary history of Hymenoptera, based on dated phylogenetic trees, integrating biological, morphological, and genomic characters.

Species-specific knowledge on parasitoid Hymenoptera: taxonomy, biology, host-parasitoid-interactions, faunistics.

Evolutionary history of various insect taxa, with focus on Holometabola.

External websites and profiles

https://scholar.google.de/citations?user=EJLjUscAAAAJ&hl=de

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ralph_Peters

Projects

2022

BGE - Biodiversity Genomics Europe

Unit:

Comparative Vertebrate Genomics, Biobank, Metabarcoding, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera

Project lead:

Astrid Böhne

Funding:

European Union

2020

GBOL III: Dark Taxa

The BMBF-funded GBOL, the German Barcode of Life initiative, has been run successfully over the last eight years. It delivered an operative DNA barcode reference library for German animals, fungi and plants. However, a significant proportion of insect taxa has so far been excluded from GBOL and merely all biodiversity research, because no or only very insufficient expertise and information are available that allow to get a grip on them. They are called “Dark Taxa”.

Unit:

Hymenoptera, Diptera, Chair Systematic Zoology, Mammalogy, Biobank, Biodiversity Informatics, Directorate, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm), Administration, ZFMK International Graduate School, Metabarcoding, Department Arthropoda, Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research (zmb)

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

2019

Afrotropical Ceraphronoidea

The parasitoid wasp superfamily Ceraphronoidea - with two families Ceraphronidae and Megaspilidae - is considered one of the less species-rich superfamilies of the often megadiverse parasitoid wasps (only ca. 600 species described worldwide). However, we hypothesize that the species diversity of the group is severely underestimated. To shed some light on the true diversity of Ceraphronoidea, we study the species of selected localities of subsaharan Africa, mostly from Kenya and Tanzania.

Unit:

Hymenoptera

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

The chalcidoid megaradiation

Chalcidoidea are one of the species-rich groups of parasitoid waps. They show a remarkable diversity in outer appearance and life history and can be found often in high abundance in nearly all terrestrial ecosystems around the world. The evolution of the Chalcidoidea, however, is still unsuffficiently understood. Also, the current classification is not based on natural groups and needs to be revised.

Unit:

Hymenoptera

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

Funding:

National Science Foundation

2018

Establishing a standardized and universally applicable set of nuclear-encoded markers for genome-wide multi-locus species delimitation of metazoans

Methods for delimiting species based on multi-gene nucleotide information are well established and provide the means to complement the classical COI barcoding approach, whose limitations are well known. Our research project aims at establishing a standardized set of single-copy nuclear-encoded markers for genome-wide multi-locus species delimitation by exploiting comparative genomic data and applying target DNA enrichment. Candidate markers are so-called Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (USCOs).

Unit:

Coleoptera, Arachnids, Statistical Phylogenetics and Phylogenomics, Staff Council, Directorate, Chair Systematic Zoology, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Molecular Laboratory, Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research (zmb), Myriapoda, Diptera

Project lead:

Dr. Dirk Ahrens

Funding:

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Plant-pollinator networks in agro-ecosystems

Pollination is crucial for maintaining angiosperm biodiversity and represents one of the most important ecosystem services. With the increasing threats of massive insect decline, studying pollination and associated networks has become more important than ever. In this study, we target the plant-pollinator networks of two important crops (caraway and apple) using a combination of traditional methods with DNA barcoding and metabarcoding.

Unit:

Chair Systematic Zoology, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm), Biobank, Ichthyology, Diptera, Hymenoptera

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. J. Wolfgang Wägele

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig

The phylogeny and evolution of Torymus

Within the genus Torymus (Chalcidoidea: Torymidae), very diverse parasitoid strategies and adaptations to its hosts have evolved. Its larvae are ectoparasitoids and attack mostly larvae of various gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) and gall midges (Cecidomyiidae). We study the coevolution of the genus Torymus and its hosts and target the question what kind of host shifts occurred during the evolution of the group. For this, we reconstruct the first phylogenomic tree for the the genus Torymus.

Unit:

Hymenoptera

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

2017

GGBC: Assessment, Monitoring and Management of Caucasian Biodiversity

A Georgian-German initiative to explore and barcode the biodiversity of the Caucasus area

Unit:

Directorate, Chair Systematic Zoology, Biobank, Department Arthropoda, Coleoptera, Mammalogy, Lepidoptera, Herpetology, Administration, ZFMK International Graduate School, Biodiversity Informatics, Metabarcoding, Myriapoda, Arachnids, Staff Council, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Comparative Insect Genomics

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

2014

The phylogeny of Holometabola

The Holometabola are the insects with complete metamorphosis (larva, pupa, adult) and comprise > 60% of the described animal species. The project aims at solving the open questions in the phylogeny of the group, in order to get a better understanding of t

Unit:

Hymenoptera, Directorate, Chair Systematic Zoology, Directorate Staff

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

Funding:

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Taxonomy of jewel wasps …

Chalcidoidea are a very species rich group of parasitoid wasps. Many representatives are very small, and the taxonomy of many groups is not well-studied. In this project we conduct taxonomic studies, especially in the family Pteromalidae.

Unit:

Hymenoptera

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

Funding:

Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig

2012

The phylogeny of Hymenopterans

Hymenoptera are a mega-diverse order of endopterygote insects and encompass more than 120,000 described species.

Unit:

Hymenoptera

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

Trichopteran morphology in…

Unit:

Hymenoptera

Project lead:

Dr. Ralph S. Peters

Funding:

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Expedition for the rainforest…

Expedition to the tropical lowland rainforest to collect material (insects, tree trunks, lianas, interviews) for the new rainforest exhibition.

Unit:

Exhibition: Conception & Management, Taxidermy, Hymenoptera, Herpetology, Chair Molecular Biodiversity Research

Project lead:

Dr. Thomas Gerken

Funding:

Alexander-Koenig-Society e.V.

1KITE: The evolution of the insects

Insects are one of the most species-rich groups of metazoan organisms. They play a pivotal role in most non-marine ecosystems and many insect species are of enormous economical and medical importance. Unraveling the evolution of insects is essential for understanding how life in terrestrial and limnic environments evolved. The 1KITE (1K Insect Transcriptome Evolution) project aims to study the transcriptomes (that is the entirety of expressed genes) of 1,000 insect species encompassing all recognized insect orders. For each species, so-called ESTs (Expressed Sequence Tags) will be produced…

Unit:

Directorate, Chair Systematic Zoology, Directorate Staff, Biodiversity Informatics, Computational Genomics, High-performance Computing, Statistical Phylogenetics and Phylogenomics, Staff Council, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science (zbm), Education, Biobank, Hymenoptera, Chair Molecular Biodiversity Research, Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research (zmb)

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof

2011

GBOL- German Barcode of Life

"German Barcode of Life" ( GBOL ) is a project sponsored by the BMBF and includes the creation of inventories for the gentic characterization of the animals, fungi and plants of germany, using DNA-Barcodes.

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. J. Wolfgang Wägele

Funding:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

2010

The evolution of…

We try to reconstruct a robust backbone tree of holometabolous insects based on extensive transcriptome/genome data. With our transcriptome data we cover all orders within these group of insects and optimize the procedures of tree inference based on these data. Additionally, Rolf Beutel's group is providing extensive 3D morphological data of head, thorax and abdominal structures. Together we are working on the most extensive morphological and molecular data addressing the above mentioned phylogenetic questions. Within this project we have also started to specifically address the "Strepsiptera…

Unit:

Directorate, Chair Systematic Zoology, Directorate Staff, Hymenoptera, Graduate School (GBR)

Project lead:

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof

Funding:

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Publications

Published in

2014

Peters, R.S. (2014): First record of the parasitoid wasp Tachinaephagus zealandicus Ashmead, 1904 (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae) in Germany. Bonn Zoological Bulletin 63(1):115-118.

[more]

Peters, R.S.*, Meusemann, K.*, Petersen, M., Mayer, C., Wilbrandt, J., Ziesmann, T., Donath, A., et al. (2014): The evolutionary history of holometabolous insects inferred from transcriptome-based phylogeny and comprehensive morphological data. BMC Evolutionary Biology 14:52 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/14/52 * equal contributors

[more]

Links:

Link - PDF

2013

ERKELING, P., SCHÜTTE, K., SVENSON, G., PETERS, R.S. (2013) The phylogeny and evolution of praying mantids (Dictyoptera: Mantodea). Abstract Volume 6th Dresden Meeting on Insect Phylogeny: 42-43

[more]

KUBIAK, M., PETERS, R.S., FRIEDRICH, F. (2013) Head morphology of adult caddisflies (Trichoptera) and its phylogenetic implications. Abstract Volume 6th Dresden Meeting on Insect Phylogeny: 51-52.

[more]

Meusemann, K., Peters, R.S. et al. (2013): Introduction to 1KITE and the first steps in the project’s workflow: aims, people, subprojects, taxon sampling and collecting. Abstract Volume 6th Dresden Meeting on Insect Phylogeny: 18-19.

[more]

Meusemann, K., Peters, R.S., Petersen, M., Donath, A., Niehuis, O., Mayer, C., Aspöck, U. et al. (2013): Phylogeny of the holometabolous insect orders – new insights from transcriptomes and morphology. BioSyst.EU 2013 Global systematics! 18-22 February 2013 Abstract volume: 139-140.

[more]

Niehuis, O., Sann, M., Mayer, C., Meusemann, K., Donath, A., Peters, R.S., Bleidorn, C., Ohl, M. (2013): Potential and limits of the 1KITE transcript data for facilitating the application of DNA enrichment protocols in insect phylogenetics. Abstract Volume 6th Dresden Meeting on Insect Phylogeny.

[more]

Peters, R.S., Krogmann, L., Niehuis, O. (2013): 1KITE Hymenoptera – On the phylogeny and evolution of sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants.

[more]

Wägele, H., Hutterer, R., Peters, R. (2013): Zur Tierwelt im Garten und Park des Museums Alexander Koenig. Koenigiana 7(2): 67-75.

[more]

2012

HARTIG, G.*, PETERS, R.S.*, BORNER, J., ETZBAUER, C., MISOF, B., NIEHUIS, O. (2012) Oligonucleotide Primers for Targeted Amplification of Single-Copy Nuclear Genes in Apocritan Hymenoptera. PLoS ONE 7(6): e39826. * equal contributors

[more]

MEUSEMANN, K., PETERS, R.S., KJER, K.M. ZHOU, JA., MISOF, B. (2012) 1000 Insect Transcriptomes - the 1KITE project takes the next step in insect phylogenomics. SMBE 2012 Conference Abstracts: 96.

[more]

Niehuis O, Hartig G, Grath S, Pohl H, Lehmann J, Tafer H, Donath A, Krauss V, Eisenhardt C, Hertel J, Petersen M, Mayer C, Meusemann K, Peters RS, Stadler PF, Beutel RG, Bornberg-Bauer E, McKenna DD, Misof B (2012): Genomic and Morphological Evidence Converge to Resolve the Enigma of Strepsiptera. Current Biology (e-published, in press).

[more]

NIEHUIS, O., HARTIG,G., GRATH, S., POHL, H.,, DONATH, A., EISENHARDT, C., HERTEL, J., KRAUSS, V., LEHMANN, J., MAYER, C.,, TAFER, H., PETERS, R., MEUSEMANN, K., BEUTEL, R.G., STADLER, P.F., BORN, E. (2012) The first sequenced genome of a twisted-wing parasite (Insecta: Strepsiptera) and its phylogenetic implications. 13. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Biologische Systematik (GfBS). Programm und Abstracts: 46-47.

[more]

NIEHUIS, O., PETERS, R.S., HARTIG, G., BORNER, J., ETZBAUER, C., MISOF, B. (2012) New primers for targeted amplification of nuclear genes in apocritan Hymenoptera. Mitteilungen des Entomologischen Vereins Stuttgart 47 (2):24.

[more]

PETERS, R.S. (ON BEHALF OF THE 1KITE CONSORTIUM) (2012) Joining forces to unravel the evolution of insects an introduction to the 1KITE project. 13. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Biologische Systematik (GfBS). Programm und Abstracts: 48-49.

[more]

PETERS, R.S., MEUSEMANN, K., NIEHUIS, O., HARTIG, G., ASPÖCK, U., ASPÖCK, H., GRATH, S., POHL, H., HÜNEFELD, F., FRIEDRICH, F., PETERSEN, M., DONATH, A. et al. (2012) The phylogeny of the holometabolous insect orders inferred from transcriptomic, genomic, and morphological data. Jaja IV International Congress of Entomology Abstract CD O106TH05

[more]

PETERS, R.S., NIEHUIS, O., KROGMANN, L. (2012) Hymenoptera phylogeny and evolution studied with phylogenomic data. Mitteilungen des Entomologischen Vereins Stuttgart 47(2): 26.

[more]

2011

PETERS, R.S., MEYER, B., KROGMANN, L., BORNER, J., MEUSEMANN, K., SCHUETTE, K., NIEHUIS, O., MISOF, B. (2011) The taming of an impossible child - a standardized all-in approach to the phylogeny of Hymenoptera using public database sequences. BMC Biology 9 (1): 55, 9:55

[more]

Pages

10.2011
Head of Hymenoptera section, Curator, Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK)

04.2011 - 10.2011
Scientific Assistant, Zentrum für Molekulare Biodiversitätsforschung, Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK)

2008 - 2011
Curator of entomological collections, Zoologisches Museum Hamburg (ZMH)

2007 - 2008
Lecturer at the University of Hamburg

2007
PhD thesis, University of Hamburg:
Interactions between hosts and parasitoids: food web structure, host ranges and host finding in the species from birds' nests.

2003
Diploma thesis (zoology), University of Hamburg

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Dr. Ralph S. Peters

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