From Latreille to DNA systematics: Towards a modern synthesis for carabidology

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The aim of this contribution is a compilation of the present-day status of carabid taxonomy and systematics with a special focus on the Palaearctic. We give a short review on morphology-based alpha taxonomy (MORAT), morphometry, karyotypes, and molecular systematics. We believe that MORAT has to be subdivided in two periods, a classical and a modern one. The latter is mainly characterised by the excessive use of genital characters for classifi cation and ranking of taxa. Important molecular marker systems for carabid taxonomy and systematics are allozymes, mitochondrial DNA sequences, microsatellite
DNA and nuclear DNA sequences. We discuss the use of molecular methods to
solve taxonomic problems at the species level and plead for a combination of molecular techniques, morphometrics and morphology-based taxonomy. Following challenges of present-day taxonomy and systematics are discussed: (1) stability of nomenclature, (2) tremendous amount of undescribed taxa, even from the Palaearctic, (3) the role of different aedeagus shapes to delimit species, and (4) incongruence of the results from MORAT, morphometrics, and molecular techniques.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBack to the roots and back to the future : Towards a New Synthesis between Taxonomic, Ecological and Biogeographical Approaches in Carabidology
EditorsLyubomir D. Penev, Terry L. Erwin, Thorsten Aßmann
Number of pages36
PublisherPensoft Publishers Ltd.
Publication date2008
Pages41-76
ISBN (Print)9789546423252, 9546423254
ISBN (Electronic)9789546424242
Publication statusPublished - 2008
Event13th European Carabidologists' Meeting - 2007: Back to the roots or back to the future? Towards a new synthesis between taxonomic, ecological, and biogeographical approaches in carabidology - Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Duration: 20.08.200724.08.2007
Conference number: 13
http://europeancarabidology.eu/history-of-the-meeting/