Molecular systematics of Peromyscus and allies based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences

Date

2005-05

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Publisher

Texas Tech University

Abstract

Nucleotide sequences from the 2nd intron of the class 1 alcohol dehydrogenase nuclear gene (Adh1-I2) were used to examine the boundaries of the genus Peromyscus (sensu stricto), especially concerning the taxonomic affinities of Habromys, Megadontomys, Osgoodomys, Podomys, and Neotomodon with regard to Peromyscus. Relationships of the Peromyscus species groups also were tested. Adh1-I2 sequences were analyzed using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods and all produced similar unresolved phylogenies regarding relationships between species groups. Habromys, Megadontomys, Osgoodomys, Podomys, and Neotomodon were included in clades containing members of the genus Peromyscus, however, support was lacking for their exact placement. Genetic divergence values between the genus Peromyscus and the 5 genera in question ranged from 2.64% (Osgoodomys versus Peromyscus) to 4.61% (Podomys versus Peromyscus). In addition, Adh1-I2 sequences were concatenated with mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences and Bayesian methods were used to test the boundaries of the genus. Support was strong for all species groups except the truei group; however, an unresolved phylogeny was produced with respect to the relationships of the species groups. Neotomodon, Habromys, and Osgoodomys were supported as being included in the genus Peromyscus as traditionally defined, whereas Megadontomys was placed in an unresolved clade with members of the genus Peromyscus and its phylogenetic position with regard to Peromyscus (sensu stricto) remains uncertain.

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