Evolutionary Discontinuity of the Carabine Ground Beetles |
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Authors: | Zhi-Hui Su Yûki Imura Syozo Osawa |
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Affiliation: | JT Biohistory Research Hall, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125, Japan, JP Department of Gynecology, T?ky? General Hospital, ?ta-ku, Tokyo 145-0062, Japan, JP
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Abstract: | The Carabine ground beetles are mostly hind wing-less and cannot fly, so that there is more chance of diversification by geographic isolation compared with winged insects. The relationships between morphological diversification and phylogeny of the ground beetles of the world have been inferred mainly by comparisons of mitochondrial ND5 gene sequences. Based on dating by a mitochondrial DNA ``clock,' it has been deduced that an explosive radiation of the major carabine groups took place 50–40 MYA. This was followed by occasional radiations on various scales, sometimes accompanied by parallel morphological changes. There are also a good number of examples showing that the fundamental morphology has remained unchanged for a long time among geographically isolated populations within the same species. Thus, carabid evolution would have proceeded discontinuously, with phases of rapid morphological change alternating with silent phases. Received: 26 October 2000 / Accepted: 16 February 2001 |
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Keywords: | : Mitochondrial ND5 gene — Phylogenetic tree — Ground beetles — Discontinuous evolution |
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