Abstract
SSCP (single-strand conformation polymorphism) analyses of ubiquitin genes were used to investigate evolutionary relationships within the subgenus Orinocarabus of the genus Carabus. After SSCP electrophoresis of PCR-amplified ubiquitin copies, population-specific band patterns were obtained. Ubiquitin-SSCP-analyses of the six central European Orinocarabus species, including three subspecies and thirteen populations, resulted in a dendrogram that differed from that based on morphology. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) did not support the SSCP dendrogram, but was in good accordance with the taxonomy based on morphological characters. The reason for the discrepancies seems to be evolutionary conservation of the ubiquitin genes. The time that elapsed since the evolution of the closely related Orinocarabus species is too short for concerted evolution of the ubiquitin genes.
Highlights
The subgenus Orinocarabus shows a disjunct distribu tion in the European Alps
In this study we examined the suitability of SSCP analysis of the ubiquitin genes, using new beetle-specific primers, for taxonomic research
Sequencing of a cloned ubiquitin dimer of Orinocarabus alpestris dolomitanus resulted in a sequence of 417 bp (Fig. 2), consisting of two joined ubiquitin repeats
Summary
The subgenus Orinocarabus shows a disjunct distribu tion in the European Alps. The relatively high number of species, subspecies, microraces and hybrids within the genus Carabus has resulted in a diversity of views on the subgeneric and subspecific classification. The most recent revision of the genus (Deuve, 1991) is based on the system suggested by Ishikawa (1973, 1978, 1979), which uses endophallic structures as the main criteria for infra generic classification. In recent years an analysis of DNA sequences was used for taxonomic studies (Pruser, 1996; Pruser & Mossakowski, 1998). The classification at the species and subspecies level within the subgenus Orinocarabus is based on morpho logical data. In this study molecular techniques were used to obtain more information about the taxo nomic relationships within this group
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