Phylogenetic structure of the Thomomys bottae-umbrinus complex in North America.
The phylogeography of the Thomomys bottae-umbrinus complex in the United States and Mexico was assessed with sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. These sequences were obtained from 225 individuals representing 108 locations over the range, including 56 sequences from GenBank. 110 (500bp) sequences were used for Bayesian inference and neighbor-joining analyses, and 34 (1140bp) specimens from the main clades obtained from the Bayesian inference were used in maximum-parsimony and maximum-likelihood analyses. The different analyses indicate significant variation within the species complex that averages 13% among major groups of genetic differences among Thomomys bottae-umbrinus. The overall pattern of geographic variation is not concordant with the current taxonomy. To the contrary, eight monophyletic groups are supported by all analyses and can be considered phylogenetic species. Overall divergence among these groups appears influenced by historical biogeographic events active during the Pliocene and Pleistocene.
Alvarez-Castañeda
Sergio Ticul
ST
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Mar Bermejo 195, A.P. 128, Baja California Sur, 23090 La Paz, México. sticul@cibnor.mx
D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005843:Geography; D046348:Gophers / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009656:North America; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D045303:Cytochromes b