Molecular Phylogenetics and Revisionary Systematics of Hawaiian Carabid Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera)

根据形态特征的分析，夏威夷扁甲甲虫（鞘翅目）由已知的131种单系辐射组成，所有物种都可以从一个单一的祖先衍生到最古老的考艾岛高地，或者一个更古老的现在被侵蚀的岛屿。这些物种之间的系统发育关系提供了可以评估进化模式的历史背景。这些模式包括生物地理学模式，以及包括飞翼丧失、整体体型改变、角质层特化和体型变化在内的特征进化。尽管如此，形态学特征为包含74种辐射的进化支提供了模糊的系统发育信息。来自线粒体细胞色素B、mt细胞色素氧化酶II、核糖体内含子和核细胞色素C的分子标记被用来提供更多的特征来明确地确定系统发育关系。关于如何结合不同来源的系统发育数据的理论问题也进行了研究；也就是说，1)基因数据应该在一个位点一个位点的基础上被处理，或者作为一个单一的复杂的转化特征，2)来自不同特征的信息必须是一致的，以产生信息丰富的系统发育。此外，分类发现-新发现的物种和特征-被总结在夏威夷Platynini的专著中，允许感兴趣的研究人员为他们的生物学研究识别这些物种。

DEB-9806349 Liebherr Based on analysis of morphological characters, the Hawaiian platynine carabid beetles (Coleoptera) comprise a monophyletic radiation of 131 known species, all derivable from a single generalized ancestor to either the oldest high island of Kauai, or an older now eroded island. Phylogenetic relationships among these species provide the historical context within which evolutionary patterns can be evaluated. Such patterns include those of biogeography, and character evolution involving flight-wing loss, modifications of overall body shape, specializations of the cuticle, and body size. Nonetheless, morphological characters provide ambiguous phylogenetic information for a clade comprising 74 species of the radiation. Molecular markers from mitochondrial cytochrome B, mt cytochrome oxidase II, ribosomal introns, and nuclear cytochrome C are used to provide substantially more characters to unambiguously determine phylogenetic relationships. Theoretical issues concerning how to combine disparate sources of phylogenetic data are also investigated; i.e., 1) should gene data be treated on a site by site basis or as a single complex transformational character, and 2) must information from different characters be congruent to produce informative phylogenies. In addition, taxonomic findings--newly discovered species and characters--are summarized in a monographic treatment of the Hawaiian Platynini, permitting interested researchers to identify these species for their biological research.