A gene-tree test of the traditional taxonomy of American deer: the importance of voucher specimens, geographic data, and dense sampling.

ABSTRACT: The taxonomy of American deer has been established almost entirely on the basis of morphological data and without the use of explicit phylogenetic methods; hence, phylogenetic analyses including data for all of the currently recognized species, even if based on a single gene, might improve current understanding of their taxonomy. We tested the monophyly of the morphology-defined genera and species of New World deer (Odocoileini) with phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences. This is the first such test conducted using extensive geographic and taxonomic sampling. Our results do not support the monophyly of Mazama, Odocoileus, Pudu, M. americana, M. nemorivaga, Od. hemionus, and Od. virginianus. Mazama contains species that

SUBMITTER: Gutierrez EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5673856 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature