Question
Asked 26 July 2024

Can biogeographical regions work as a character in a character matrix for a phylogenetic analysis?

Basically I'm helping with the matrix using a cosmolitan group, could one of the characters used for be biogeographical regions (Neartic, Neotropical, etc)?
Most of the data in this matrix refers to morphological characters, but I wonder if other such data could be used

All Answers (2)

Marc Philippe
Claude Bernard University Lyon 1
hello
of course it works
as long as the matrix is not used for biogeographical inferences (circular reasoning)
Physiological, ethological, anatomical etc. characters can be used as well
Beware that fossils can significantly modify biogeography. Trochilideae and Cathartideae are documented in the Tertiary of Europe, Araucariaceae in the Cretaceous of Northern America.
marc
I would note that biogeographical regions (Neartic, Neotropical, etc) have no natural existence. They are purely artificial creations. this goes for all geographically bounded areas (including biomes, areas of endemism, ecological regions etc.).

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