Abstract
Abstract Complete mitochondrial (mtDNA) genomes have proved to be useful in reconstructing primate phylogenies with higher resolution and confidence compared to reconstructions based on partial mtDNA sequences. Here, we analyse complete mtDNA genomes of African green monkeys (genus Chlorocebus), a widely distributed primate genus in Africa representing an interesting phylogeographical model for the evolution of savannah species. Previous studies on partial mtDNA sequences revealed nine major clades, suggesting several cases of para- and polyphyly among Chlorocebus species. However, in these studies, phylogenetic relationships among several clades were not resolved, and divergence times were not estimated. We analysed complete mtDNA genomes for ten Chlorocebus samples representing major mtDNA clades to find stronger statistical support in the phylogenetic reconstruction than in the previous studies and to estimate divergence times. Our results confirmed para- and polyphyletic relationships of most Chlorocebus species, while the support for the phylogenetic relationships between the mtDNA clades increased compared to the previous studies. Our results indicate an initial west–east division in the northern part of the Chlorocebus range with subsequent divergence into north-eastern and southern clades. This phylogeographic scenario contrasts with that for another widespread African savannah primate genus, the baboons (Papio), for which a dispersal from southern Africa into East and West Africa was suggested.
Highlights
IntroductionThe availability and analyses of genetic data have a tremendous impact on the understanding of phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of organisms, at which different genetic markers (mitochondrial, autosomal or gonosomal) or respective whole genomes can provide insights into different aspects of the evolutionary history of taxa (Moore, 1995; Hoelzer, 1997; Maddison, 1997; Nichols, 2001; Funk & Omland, 2003; Avise, 2004)
The mitogenomic analysis is of particular interest in widely distributed taxa, for instance among primates, baboons (Papio) and African green monkeys (Chlorocebus), which range over large parts of sub-Saharan Africa
We generated a phylogeny for the genus Chlorocebus based on complete mtDNA genomes of ten samples representing all species and all major mtDNA clades
Summary
The availability and analyses of genetic data have a tremendous impact on the understanding of phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of organisms, at which different genetic markers (mitochondrial, autosomal or gonosomal) or respective whole genomes can provide insights into different aspects of the evolutionary history of taxa (Moore, 1995; Hoelzer, 1997; Maddison, 1997; Nichols, 2001; Funk & Omland, 2003; Avise, 2004). In taxa with female-biased dispersal, as in the majority of mammal species including primates (Greenwood, 1980), the mitogenomic population structure often reveals. Some authors consider Chlorocebus aethiops as a polytypic species comprising five or six subspecies (Kingdon, 1997; Grubb et al, 2003; Elton, Dunn & Cardini, 2010), whereas others recognize six parapatric species: C. aethiops (grivet), C. djamdjamensis (Bale monkey), C. sabaeus (West African green monkey), C. cynosuros (malbrouck monkey), C. tantalus (tantalus monkey) and C. pygerythrus (vervet monkey) (Groves, 2001; Anandam et al, 2013; Haus et al, 2013b). Subspecies have been described in C. aethiops, C. tantalus and C. pygerythrus (Groves, 2001; Butynski & Kingdon, 2013; Isbell & Jaffe, 2013; Nakagawa, 2013), whereas the other three members of Chlorocebus are regarded as monotypic
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