Hi, take a look on this packages:

http://www.sigmath.es.osaka-u.ac.jp/shimo-lab/prog/pvclust/

http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/ape/vignettes/MoranI.pdf

http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/simba/simba.pdf

Many thanks Ricardo, will check those links and get back...

Cheers! Sandun

I would recommend Ward´s method instead of UPGMA - it gives better separated cluster. You could also use the PAST software, it is free and very user-friendly. http://folk.uio.no/ohammer/past/

@Danka, I do not any have serious reference for justifying it, but I remember my statistic teachers told me that ward should be used to with distance measures which show the same properties as the euclidean one, and UPGMA for all other distances. Do you know any specific scientific litterature on the subject?

@Marius, thanks for this information. I didn´t remember it.

My answer was not a closed affirmation! I really would like to find clear bibliography on the subject, bu I never found it!

@Danka & Marius,

Many thanks for your contributions. PAST certainly looks interesting. will have a deeper look and get back. My purpose is a biogeographical analysis through clustering geographic (area) units, based on species incidence (presence/absence), for which, Kreft & Jetz (2010) recommends UPGMA, with Beta-sym similarity coefficient (after comparing a series of methods - see attached paper). I found it very difficult to publish biogeographic analysis without using above methods (using classical methods). The issue is those methods are not yet available in any of the freeware, Except what experts have programmed in R. So I need someone who could help me there, using R for such an analysis. 

Hello Sandun,

I was wondering if you eventually had any success with this, as I am attempting to do the same thing in my master's project. I am working with Prof. Proches and I am the same student that you helped with the beetle data for him. 

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

Hi Sandrini,

Great to be in touch...

Indeed, I've made some progress in finding few relevant people in Sri Lanka (my home country & where I work). But, unfortunately an occupational hazard of being a "Head of a Department (with 100% of my time on admin)" coupled with family health crisis caused me to give-up the academic work for sometime. Ony now I'm starting to get back onto grips on my research work and hopefully be in a position to help you towards the end of the year. Couldn't even tell Serban about the health issue we are facing - will contact all of you soon...

Hope all is well with the research group and your work on beetles must be reaching heights... when are you planning to finish?

Good luck with your work, and I'm sorry for not being of any help for the moment. Will get back to you if I make any progress, and please do the same if you make any success.

Best

Sandun