DNA from extinct giant lemurs links archaeolemurids to extant indriids.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although today 15% of living primates are endemic to Madagascar, their diversity was even greater in the recent past since dozens of extinct species have been recovered from Holocene excavation sites. Among them were the so-called "giant lemurs" some of which weighed up to 160 kg. Although extensively studied, the phylogenetic relationships between extinct and extant lemurs are still difficult to decipher, mainly due to morphological specializations that reflect ecology more than phylogeny, resulting in rampant homoplasy.

Results

Ancient DNA recovered from subfossils recently supported a sister relationship between giant "sloth" lemurs and extant indriids and helped to revise the phylogenetic position of Megaladapis edwardsi among lemuriformes, but several taxa -

SUBMITTER: Orlando L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2386821 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature