Meeting Abstract
The species is the most fundamental taxonomic unit and is useful in studies of conservation, biodiversity and ecological processes. Understanding the delimitations that classify a species can be challenging because there are so many parameters to be considered when applying these concepts. The following phylogenetic study examines the coleopteran genus Promecognathus that is comprised of two species P. crassus and P. laevissimus. Using phylogenetic analyses we test the monophyly of these two species and their respective genetic exclusivity using three molecular markers: 18s rRNA, wingless nDNA and COI mDNA. This study confirms the distinctiveness of these species under three established species concepts as well as provides a framework for future phylogeographic analyses of the genus.
