Convergent evolution of specialized generalists: Implications for phylogenetic and functional diversity of carabid feeding groups.

ABSTRACT: Closely related species are often assumed to be functionally similar. Phylogenetic information is thus widely used to infer functional diversity and assembly of communities. In contrast, evolutionary processes generating functional similarity of phylogenetically distinct taxa are rarely addressed in this context.To investigate the impact of convergent evolution on functional diversity (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD), we reconstructed the phylogenetic structure of carabid trophic groups. We then analyzed the mandible shapes using geometric morphometrics to link specialization in functional morphology with feeding specialization among herbivores, generalist carnivores, and specialized consumers of Collembola.Our results show that carabid feeding groups are paraphyletic. Herbivory evolve

SUBMITTER: Baulechner D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7593144 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature