Exploring desert-adapted beetles with 3D geometric morphometrics.

ABSTRACT: Darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) are a diverse and ecologically significant group, particularly in arid environments, yet their taxonomy remains problematic due to scarcity of phylogenetic contributions and robust morphological investigations. This study applies 3D geometric morphometrics to evaluate the taxonomic validity and morphological differentiation among three closely related sandworm beetle taxa: Gonopus deplanatus, G. tibialis kalaharicus, and G. tibialis punctatus. Seventy-nine museum-preserved specimens were digitized using a 3D scanner, with multiple scans taken from six different orientations to ensure comprehensive surface reconstruction. Twenty-one anatomical landmarks were assigned to the prothorax (12 landmarks) and pterothorax (9 landmarks), targeting significant taxonom

SUBMITTER: Szara T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12214608 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature