Abstract
Carabus blaptoidesis endemic on the Japanese islands. Two populations of this species were recently found on the oceanic islets of O-shima and Nii-jima, offshore of central Japan. We evaluate the origin of these populations based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Molecular analyses show that the O-shima population is closely related to the Boso peninsula population of Honshu, and the Nii-jima population is closely related to the northern Kyushu population. We suggest that the Boso population migrated relatively recently from central Japan, apparently by way of a land bridge formed by an emergent forearc high, followed by further migration to O-shima. In contrast, the Nii-jima population migrated very recently from northern Kyushu, probably by rafting on the Kuroshio current aboard driftwood swept into the sea from floods that occurred in the Ariake bay area in 2012. Similar Kuroshio-driven migration is also expected for the ancient Izu-Bonin oceanic islands.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
