Inferring Evolutionary Timescales without Independent Timing Information: An Assessment of "Universal" Insect Rates to Calibrate a Collembola (Hexapoda) Molecular Clock.

ABSTRACT: Previous estimates of nucleotide substitution rates are routinely applied as secondary or "universal" molecular clock calibrations for estimating evolutionary timescales in groups that lack independent timing information. A major limitation of this approach is that rates can vary considerably among taxonomic groups, but the assumption of rate constancy is rarely evaluated prior to using secondary rate calibrations. Here I evaluate whether an insect mitochondrial DNA clock is appropriate for estimating timescales in Collembola-a group of insect-like arthropods characterized by high levels of cryptic diversity. Relative rates of substitution in cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) were inferred via Bayesian analysis across a topologically constrained Hexapod phylogeny using a relaxed molecular

SUBMITTER: Katz AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7600954 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature