BIOGEOGRAPHIC PATTERNS OF MONTANE MEXICAN AND CENTRAL-AMERICAN CARABIDAE (COLEOPTERA)

Carabid taxa inhabiting the montane forests of Mexico and Central Amer ica are analyzed using cladistic biogeographic methods. Taxa exhibitin g the Nearctic, Meso-American Montane, and Paleo-American distribution al patterns are included in the analysis. Widespread taxa are assumed to indicate that the areas of endemism they inhabit are closely relate d, and the general pattern of area relationships is determined using p arsimony analysis. Of the nine areas of endemism recognized in the ana lysis, the Sierra Madre Oriental is considered the most distinct. The northern Sierra Madre Occidental, Arizona Mountains, and Sonoran Deser t comprise one monophyletic set of areas, as do the more southerly are as of the Sierra Transvolcanica, Sierra Madre del Sur, Chiapan-Guatema lan highlands, and Talamancan Cordillera. The southern Sierra Madre Oc cidental area of endemism is equivocally related to both areas to the north and areas to the south. Biogeographic information derived from w idespread species is as congruent with the general area cladogram as i nformation derived from groups with precinctive species, indicating th at the same biogeographic barriers often limit distributions of both w idespread species and more inclusive clades comprising precinctive spe cies. Taxa exhibiting the Meso-American Montane Pattern are more congr uent with the general area cladogram than those representing the Nearc tic Pattern, even though they exhibit less fidelity to highland habita ts.