Incongruence between genetic and morphological diversity in Microcebus griseorufus of Beza Mahafaly.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The past decade has seen a remarkable increase in the number of recognized mouse lemur species (genus Microcebus). As recently as 1994, only two species of mouse lemur were recognized according to the rules of zoological nomenclature. That number has now climbed to as many as fifteen proposed species. Indeed, increases in recognized species diversity have also characterized other nocturnal primates--galagos, sportive lemurs, and tarsiers. Presumably, the movement relates more to a previous lack of information than it does to any recent proclivity for taxonomic splitting. Due to their nocturnal habits, one can hypothesize that mouse lemurs will show only minimal variation in pelage coloration as such variation should be inconsequential for the purposes of mate and/or spec

SUBMITTER: Heckman KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1657033 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature