Phylogeny of the ants: Diversification in the age of angiosperms

Citation:

Moreau CS, Bell CD, Vila R, Archibald SB, Pierce NE. Phylogeny of the ants: Diversification in the age of angiosperms. Science. 2006;312 :101-104.
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Date Published:

Apr 7

Abstract:

We present a large-scale molecular phylogeny of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), based on 4.5 kilobases of sequence data from six gene regions extracted from 139 of the 288 described extant genera, representing 19 of the 20 subfamilies. All but two subfamilies are recovered as monophyletic. Divergence time estimates calibrated by minimum age constraints from 43 fossils indicate that most of the subfamilies representing extant ants arose much earlier than previously proposed but only began to diversify during the Late Cretaceous to Early Eocene. This period also witnessed the rise of angiosperms and most herbivorous insects.

Notes:

029SJTimes Cited:355Cited References Count:28

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