• summary and synthesis of the (little) previous work on the group
  
  
• full nomenclatural treatment of all included taxa
  
  
• illustrated descriptions and diagnoses of included genera and species based on examination of specimens, not just the limited literature (and including features of larvae as well as adults to the extent possible)
  
  
• discussion of all known ecological and life history information for each taxon
  
  
• maps of species distributions, in the context of relevant environmental parameters, when available
  
  
• collection data for all specimens studied, geo-referenced whenever possible
  
  
• keys to facilitate identification of specimens by users
  
  
• a phylogenetic analysis of the subgroup based on morphological and, as much as possible, molecular data gathered by the trainees and
  
  
• a biogeographic analysis exploring the probable origin of the distributional patterns found in the subgroup.
  

The four principal participants are also planning a collaborative paper synthesizing the biogeographic results of the separate studies, placing those in the context of analyses of other groups and exploring the implications for a general explanation of the evolution of the austral biota.

In addition to the primary trainees, throughout the grant undergraduate students from universities in the Chicago area are hired as interns (academic year and summer, 1 per year) to participate in various aspects of specimen preparation and study and data analysis, with the aim of exposing them to the fields of biodiversity and systematic research and to the dramatic diversity of arthropods, and with the hope of inspiring some to pursue careers in systematics or other biodiversity-related disciplines.

The planned paper publications serve some purposes, including meeting the technical requirements for publication of new taxon names, but for wider dissemination and enhanced functionality the substance of each monograph, enhanced with color photos, interactive keys, and databased specimen data, is being prepared for presentation on the Field Museum’s web site and probably also on CD-ROMs. Other planned web products include a searchable database of all austral genera and species of Staphylinoidea with distributional and bibliographic information; a summary table of regional distributions of these taxa; a database of all generic names of Staphyliniformia, including synonyms (author/year/reference/type species/overall distribution); and a linked bibliography supporting these items and the monographs. Submission of appropriate data to GenBank, the Tree of Life, and the Treebase database is planned.

Beyond the specific products produced in the course of this project, two young staphylinid specialists are receiving modern systematic training, several undergraduates are being exposed to arthropods, systematics, and biodiversity studies, and collection holdings at various museums are improved by gathering and depositing valuable specimens from poorly known habitats for use into the future for studies not just of staphylinids, but of many other groups of arthropods as well.