Dataset Information

Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Nectogale (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae).

ABSTRACT: The elegant water shrew, Nectogale elegans, is one of the small mammal species most adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle. The taxonomy of the genus Nectogale has received little attention due to difficulties in specimen collection. In this study, we sequenced one mitochondrial and eight nuclear genes to infer the phylogenetic relationship of Nectogale. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two large clades within Nectogale. One clade represented N. elegans, and the other was regarded as N. sikhimensis. The split between N. elegans and N. sikhimensis dated back to the early Pleistocene (2.15 million years ago [Ma]), which might be relevant to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) uplift. The morphological comparison showed several distinguishing characters within Nectogale: the shape of the mastoids, the first lower unicuspid (a1), and the second upper molar (M²). Overall, the molecular and the morphological evidences supported that the genus Nectogale consists of two valid species: N. elegans and N. sikhimensis.

SUBMITTER: Fan R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9596327 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Nectogale (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae).

Fan Ronghui R Tang Keyi K Dou Liang L Fu Changkun C Faiz Abu Ul Hassan AUH Wang Xuming X Wang Yufan Y Chen Shunde S Liu Shaoying S

Ecology and evolution 20221013 10

The elegant water shrew, Nectogale elegans, is one of the small mammal species most adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle. The taxonomy of the genus Nectogale has received little attention due to difficulties in specimen collection. In this study, we sequenced one mitochondrial and eight nuclear genes to infer the phylogenetic relationship of Nectogale. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two large clades within Nectogale. One clade represented N. elegans, and the oth ...[more]

PMID: 36311392

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Crocidura, the most speciose mammalian genus, occurs across much of Asia, Europe and Africa. The taxonomy of Chinese representatives has been studied primarily based on cursory morphological comparisons and their molecular phylogenetic analyses remain unexplored. In order to understand the phylogeny of this group in China, we estimated the first multilocus phylogeny and conducted species delimitation, including taxon sampling throughout their distribution range. RESULTS:We obtained one mitochondrial gene (cytb) (~ 1, 134 bp) and three nuclear genes (ApoB, BRCA1, RAG1) (~ 2, 170 bp) for 132 samples from 57 localities. Molecular analyses identified at least 14 putative species that occur within two major well-supported groups in China. Polyphyletic C. wuchihensis appears to be composed of two putative species. Two subspecies, C. rapax rapax and C. rapax kurodai should be elevated to full species status. A phylogenetic tree based on mitochondrial gene from Asian Crocidura species showed that the C. rapax rapax is embedded within C. attenuata, making the latter a paraphyletic group. Three strongly supported undescribed species (C. sp.1, C. sp.2 and C. sp.3) are revealed from Zada County of Tibet (Western China), Hongjiang County of Hunan Province (Central China) and Dongyang County of Zhejiang Province (Eastern China), Motuo County of Tibet, respectively. The divergence time estimation suggested that China's Crocidura species began to diversify during the late Pliocene (3.66 Ma) and the Early Pleistocene (2.29 Ma), followed by a series of diversifications through the Pleistocene. CONCLUSIONS:The cryptic diversity found in this study indicated that the number of species is strongly underestimated under the current taxonomy. We propose that the three undescribed species should be evaluated using extensive taxon sampling and comprehensive morphological and morphometric approaches. Climate change since the late Pliocene and the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau may result in the diversification and speciation of China's Crocidura species. In short, the underestimated diversity underlines the need for a taxonomic revision of Chinese Crocidura species.

Dataset Information

Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus Nectogale (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae).

Publications

Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of the genus <i>Nectogale</i> (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae).

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