title: Molecular phylogenetic analysis of nuclear genes suggests a Cenozoic over-water dispersal origin for the Cuban solenodon.
abstract: The Cuban solenodon (Solenodon cubanus) is one of the most enigmatic mammals and is an extremely rare species with a distribution limited to a small part of the island of Cuba. Despite its rarity, in 2012 seven individuals of S. cubanus were captured and sampled successfully for DNA analysis, providing new insights into the evolutionary origin of this species and into the origins of the Caribbean fauna, which remain controversial. We conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses of five nuclear genes (Apob, Atp7a, Bdnf, Brca1 and Rag1; total, 4,602 bp) from 35 species of the mammalian order Eulipotyphla. Based on Bayesian relaxed molecular clock analyses, the family Solenodontidae diverged from other eulipotyphlan in the Paleocene, after the bolide impact on the Yucatan Peninsula, and S. cubanus diverged from the Hispaniolan solenodon (S. paradoxus) in the Early Pliocene. The strikingly recent divergence time estimates suggest that S. cubanus and its ancestral lineage originated via over-water dispersal rather than vicariance events, as had previously been hypothesised.
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Technology, Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Fukuyama University, Higashimura-cho, Aza, Sanzo, 985, Fukuyama 729-0292, Japan.
authors: Jun J
authors: JJ
authors: Sato
authors: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Kita-19 Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
authors: Satoshi D
authors: SD
authors: Ohdachi
authors: Environmental Education Center, Miyagi University of Education, Aramaki Aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-0845, Japan.
authors: Lazaro M
authors: LM
authors: Echenique-Diaz
authors: Sociedad Cubana de Zoología, CP 11900, Boyeros, La Habana, Cuba.
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: Borroto-Páez
authors: Unidad Presupuestada Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt (CITMA), Calle Abogado 14 e/ 12 y 13 Norte, Guantanamo 95200, Cuba.
authors: Gerardo
authors: G
authors: Begué-Quiala
authors: Estación Ecológica La Melba, Unidad Presupuestada Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt, CITMA-Guantánamo, Cuba.
authors: Jorge L
authors: JL
authors: Delgado-Labañino
authors: Estación Ecológica La Melba, Unidad Presupuestada Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt, CITMA-Guantánamo, Cuba.
authors: Jorgelino
authors: J
authors: Gámez-Díez
authors: Centro de Inspección y Control Ambiental (CICA), Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente (CITMA), Cuba.
authors: José
authors: J
authors: Alvarez-Lemus
authors: Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam.
authors: Son Truong
authors: ST
authors: Nguyen
authors: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, PO Box 2713 Doha, Qatar.
authors: Nobuyuki
authors: N
authors: Yamaguchi
authors: Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences and Tsukuba Research Center for Interdisciplinary Materials Science (TIMS), University of Tsukuba 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8571, Japan.
authors: Masaki
authors: M
authors: Kita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003462:Cuba; D007312:Eulipotyphla / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D009687:Nuclear Proteins