J 2017

Multilocus phylogeny of East African gerbils (Rodentia, Gerbilliscus) illuminates the history of the Somali-Masai savanna

AGHOVÁ, Tatiana, Radim ŠUMBERA, L. PIALEK, Ondřej MIKULA, M.M. MCDONOUGH et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Multilocus phylogeny of East African gerbils (Rodentia, Gerbilliscus) illuminates the history of the Somali-Masai savanna

Authors

AGHOVÁ, Tatiana (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution), Radim ŠUMBERA (203 Czech Republic), L. PIALEK (203 Czech Republic), Ondřej MIKULA (203 Czech Republic), M.M. MCDONOUGH (840 United States of America), L.A. LAVRENCHENKO (643 Russian Federation), Y. MEHERETU (231 Ethiopia), J.S. MBAU (404 Kenya) and Josef BRYJA (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Journal of Biogeography, HOBOKEN, WILEY, 2017, 0305-0270

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Impact factor

Impact factor: 4.154

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/17:00097763

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

UT WoS

000412074300012

Keywords in English

biogeography; Gerbillinae; historical DNA; murid rodents; phylogeography; Plio-Pleistocene climate change; pyrosequencing; Rift Valley; species delimitation; tropical Africa

Tags

Tags

International impact, Reviewed
Změněno: 9/4/2018 14:53, Ing. Nicole Zrilić

Abstract

V originále

Aim The rodent genus Gerbilliscus is widespread in savannas throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The eastern clade comprises four species with distributions centred in the Somali-Masai biogeographical region of East Africa. We investigated the genetic diversity of the group with a view to illuminating the historical (Plio-Pleistocene) processes that formed contemporary biota of the understudied Somali-Masai region. Location Somali-Masai savanna, East Africa. Methods We performed multilocus genetic analyses of 240 samples from 112 localities, combining genotyping of recently collected samples (N = 145), 454-pyrosequencing of museum material (N = 34) and published sequences (N = 61). We used Bayesian and maximum likelihood approaches for phylogenetic reconstructions, and coalescent-based methods to delimit species. We also estimated divergence times and modelled recent and past distributions to reconstruct the major evolutionary influences in the Somali-Masai region during the Plio-Pleistocene. Results Genetic analyses provided evidence for six lineages, possibly corresponding to distinct species. The two main species groups (with two and four putative species, respectively) have overlapping distributions, but species within each group are distributed parapatrically. The origin of the eastern clade dates back to the Pliocene, while individual species diverged in the Pleistocene. The distribution of genetic diversity and ecological niche modelling point to the importance of the Rift Valley and the presence of unsuitable xeric habitats in the allopatric diversification of Gerbilliscus in the Somali-Masai savanna within the last 5 Myr. Conclusions This is the first detailed phylo(bio-)geographical study of animals with predominant distribution in the Somali-Masai region. It revealed currently underestimated diversity of eastern clade of Gerbilliscus and proposed a scenario of its evolution during Plio-Pleistocene. Conspicuous genetic structure of these taxa can be now used to test detailed phylogeographical hypotheses related to Plio-Pleistocene history of gerbils and, to some extent, also biota of Somali-Masai bioregion in general.