title: Phylogenetic relationships of extant zokors (Myospalacinae) (Rodentia, Spalacidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences.
abstract: In this study, we use three mitochondrial markers, cytochrome b gene (Cyt b), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4) and control region (D-loop) to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of extant zokor species in Mysopalacinae. The phylogenetic tree constructed based on Cyt b strongly supports the monophyly genera Eospalax and Myospalax with E. fontanierii being the most ancient species in Eospalax. Further phylogenetic analyses of four species of Eospalax based on ND4 and D-loop sequences revealed two clades that correspond to two geographical distributions. The basal clade includes E. cansus which is mainly found on Loess Plateau (LP) and another clade including E. baileyi, E. smithii and E. rufescens that inhabits areas above 2000 m on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and Qinling Mountains. Geographical events of QTP and LP may have played a major role in the diversification and evolution of Mysopalacinae.
authors.affiliation: College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem (Gansu Agricultural University), Ministry of Education , Lanzhou , P.R. China .
authors.forename: Junhu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dianne M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.forename: Janwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Yanming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005843:Geography; D010802:Phylogeny; D012377:Rodentia / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial