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Molecular and morphological clocks for estimating evolutionary divergence times.

Jose Barba-Montoya1,2, Qiqing Tao1,2, Sudhir Kumar3,4,5

  • 1Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.

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Summary

Morphological data can reliably estimate species divergence times, correlating well with molecular data. This supports using both data types for evolutionary studies, especially for nodes with many taxa.

Keywords:
Bayesian inferenceFossil calibrationMolecular clockMorphological clockSpecies divergence time estimation

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Area of Science:

  • Systematics and evolutionary biology
  • Phylogenetics and molecular evolution
  • Paleontology and evolutionary timescales

Background:

  • Matrices of morphological characters are commonly used in systematics for dating species divergence times.
  • Studies often combine morphological and molecular data, including extinct taxa, for divergence time inference.
  • The concordance between morphological and molecular data for estimating divergence times requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the concordance of species divergence dates inferred using discrete morphological data versus molecular data.
  • To determine if morphological data can produce time estimates that are concordant with molecular data.
  • To justify the use of morphological characters alongside molecular data in divergence time inference.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic analysis of three empirical datasets from different species groups.
  • Testing concordance of species divergence dates inferred using molecular and discrete morphological data from extant taxa.
  • Comparison of divergence time estimates, branch lengths, and node-to-tip distances between morphological and molecular data.

Main Results:

  • A high correlation was found between divergence time estimates from molecular and morphological data.
  • Node-to-tip distances showed higher correlation than branch lengths due to averaging effects over multiple branches.
  • Discordance can occur, with some intermediate nodes showing significant time differences between data types.

Conclusions:

  • Node- and tip-calibration approaches may be more suitable for nodes with numerous taxa.
  • Evaluating the intrinsic time structure concordance between morphological and molecular data is crucial before combined dating analyses.
  • Findings support the utility of morphological data in divergence time estimation when assessed for concordance with molecular data.