First mitogenome phylogeny of the sun bear Helarctos malayanus reveals a deep split between Indochinese and Sundaic lineages.

ABSTRACT: The sun bear Helarctos malayanus is one of the most endangered ursids, and to date classification of sun bear populations has been based almost exclusively on geographic distribution and morphology. The very few molecular studies focussing on this species were limited in geographic scope. Using archival and non-invasively collected sample material, we have added a substantial number of complete or near-complete mitochondrial genome sequences from sun bears of several range countries of the species' distribution. We here report 32 new mitogenome sequences representing sun bears from Cambodia, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships revealed two matrilines that diverged ~295 thousand years ago: one restricted to portions of main

SUBMITTER: Kunde MN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10111171 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature