Analysing disparity by applying combined morphological and molecular approaches to French and Japanese carabid beetles

The expression of morphological disparity within a clade is related to its history and to the environmental parameters within which it develops. Recent developments in geometric morphometries allow quantitative estimation of morphological disparity, and facilitate comparisons with genetic data intended to provide phylogenetic information. Such comparisons were made between two sets of ground beetle species from regions that differ biogeographically and environmentally: 12 post-glacial reinvading species from NE France; and 15 Japanese species less likely to be affected by the Pleistocene glacial events. Genetic relationships were inferred from mitochondrial DNA (ND5 gene). Morphological div…