A molecular phylogeny of Plesiorycteropus reassigns the extinct mammalian order 'Bibymalagasia'.

ABSTRACT: Madagascar is well known for its diverse fauna and flora, being home to many species not found anywhere else in the world. However, its biodiversity in the recent past included a range of extinct enigmatic fauna, such as elephant birds, giant lemurs and dwarfed hippopotami. The 'Malagasy aardvark' (Plesiorycteropus) has remained one of Madagascar's least well-understood extinct species since its discovery in the 19(th) century. Initially considered a close relative of the aardvark (Orycteropus) within the order Tubulidentata, more recent morphological analyses challenged this placement on the grounds that the identifiably derived traits supporting this allocation were adaptations to digging rather than shared ancestry. Because the skeletal evidence showed many morphological traits diagnost

SUBMITTER: Buckley M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3608660 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature