TY  - JOUR
A1  - Martins, Renata F.
A1  - Fickel, Jörns
A1  - Minh Le, 
A1  - Thanh Van Nguyen, 
A1  - Nguyen, Ha M.
A1  - Timmins, Robert
A1  - Gan, Han Ming
A1  - Rovie-Ryan, Jeffrine J.
A1  - Lenz, Dorina
A1  - Förster, Daniel W.
A1  - Wilting, Andreas
T1  - Phylogeography of red muntjacs reveals three distinct mitochondrial lineages
JF  - BMC evolutionary biology
N2  - Background: The members of the genus Muntiacus are of particular interest to evolutionary biologists due to their extreme chromosomal rearrangements and the ongoing discussions about the number of living species. Red muntjacs have the largest distribution of all muntjacs and were formerly considered as one species. Karyotype differences led to the provisional split between the Southern Red Muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak) and the Northern Red Muntjac (M. vaginalis), but uncertainties remain as, so far, no phylogenetic study has been conducted. Here, we analysed whole mitochondrial genomes of 59 archival and 16 contemporaneous samples to resolve uncertainties about their taxonomy and used red muntjacs as model for understanding the evolutionary history of other species in Southeast Asia. Results: We found three distinct matrilineal groups of red muntjacs: Sri Lankan red muntjacs (including the Western Ghats) diverged first from other muntjacs about 1.5 Mya; later northern red muntjacs (including North India and Indochina) and southern red muntjacs (Sundaland) split around 1.12 Mya. The diversification of red muntjacs into these three main lineages was likely promoted by two Pleistocene barriers: one through the Indian subcontinent and one separating the Indochinese and Sundaic red muntjacs. Interestingly, we found a high level of gene flow within the populations of northern and southern red muntjacs, indicating gene flow between populations in Indochina and dispersal of red muntjacs over the exposed Sunda Shelf during the Last Glacial Maximum. Conclusions: Our results provide new insights into the evolution of species in South and Southeast Asia as we found clear genetic differentiation in a widespread and generalist species, corresponding to two known biogeographical barriers: The Isthmus of Kra and the central Indian dry zone. In addition, our molecular data support either the delineation of three monotypic species or three subspecies, but more importantly these data highlight the conservation importance of the Sri Lankan/South Indian red muntjac.
KW  - Phylogeography
KW  - Archival DNA
KW  - Muntjac
KW  - Southeast Asia
KW  - Species complex
Y1  - 2017
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-017-0888-0
SN  - 1471-2148
VL  - 17
IS  - 34
PB  - BioMed Central
CY  - London
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Tritsch, Christian
A1  - Martens, Jochen
A1  - Sun, Yue-Hua
A1  - Heim, Wieland
A1  - Strutzenberger, Patrick
A1  - Päckert, Martin
T1  - Improved sampling at the subspecies level solves a taxonomic dilemma
BT  - a case study of two enigmatic Chinese tit species (Aves, Passeriformes, Paridae, Poecile)
JF  - Molecular phylogenetics and evolution
N2  - A recent full species-level phylogeny of tits, titmice and chickadees (Paridae) has placed the Chinese endemic black-bibbed tit (Poecile hypermelaenus) as the sister to the Palearctic willow tit (P. montanus). Because this sister-group relationship is in striking disagreement with the traditional affiliation of P. hypermelaenus close to the marsh tit (P. palustris) we tested this phylogenetic hypothesis in a multi locus analysis with an extended taxon sampling including sixteen subspecies of willow tits and marsh tits. As a taxonomic reference we included type specimens in our analysis. The molecular genetic study was complemented with an analysis of biometric data obtained from museum specimens. Our phylogenetic reconstructions, including a comparison of all GenBank data available for our target species, clearly show that the genetic lineage previously identified as P. hypermelaenus actually refers to P. weigoldicus because sequences were identical to that of a syntype of this taxon. The close relationship of P. weigoldicus and P. montanus - despite large genetic distances between the two taxa - is in accordance with current taxonomy and systematics. In disagreement with the previous phylogenetic hypothesis but in accordance with most taxonomic authorities, all our P. hypermelaenus specimens fell in the sister Glade of all western and eastern Palearctic P. palustris. Though shared haplotypes among the Chinese populations of the two latter species might indicate mitochondrial introgression in this part of the breeding range, further research is needed here due to the limitations of our own sampling.
KW  - Poecile hypermelaenus
KW  - Poecile weigoldicus
KW  - Multi-locus phylogeny
KW  - Phylogeography
KW  - DNA barcoding
Y1  - 2016
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2016.12.014
SN  - 1055-7903
SN  - 1095-9513
VL  - 107
SP  - 538
EP  - 550
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - San Diego
ER  -