Phylogenetic assessment within a species complex of a subterranean rodent (Geomys bursarius) with conservation implications for isolated subspecies.

ABSTRACT: Range contraction and expansion from glaciation have led to genetic divergence that may be particularly pronounced in fossorial species with low dispersal. The plains pocket gopher (Geomys bursarius) is a fossorial species that ranges widely across North America but has a poorly understood phylogeny. We used mitogenomes (14,996 base pairs) from 56 individuals across seven subspecies, plus two outgroup species, to assess genetic divergence from minimum spanning trees, measure genetic distances, and infer phylogenetic trees using BEAST. We found G. b. wisconsinensis was monophyletic with recent divergence. Further assessment is needed for G. b. major because it was paraphyletic and exhibited inconsistent groupings with other clades. Importantly, we identified G. b. illinoensis as being genet

SUBMITTER: Alexander N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11334213 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature