Molecular Phylogenetic Relationships and Unveiling Novel Genetic Diversity among Slow and Pygmy Lorises, including Resurrection of Xanthonycticebus intermedius.

ABSTRACT: Genetic analysis of historical museum collections presents an opportunity to clarify the evolutionary history of understudied primate groups, improve taxonomic inferences, and inform conservation efforts. Among the most understudied primate groups, slow and pygmy lorises (genera Nycticebus and Xanthonycticebus) are nocturnal strepsirrhines found in South and Southeast Asia. Previous molecular studies have supported five species, but studies using morphological data suggest the existence of at least nine species. We sequenced four mitochondrial loci, CO1, cytb, d-loop, and ND4, for a total of 3324 aligned characters per sample from 41 historical museum specimens for the most comprehensive geographic coverage to date for these genera. We then combined these sequen

SUBMITTER: Blair ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10048081 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature