COMPARISON OF HIGHLY REPEATED DNA-SEQUENCES IN SOME LEMURIDAE AND TAXONOMIC IMPLICATIONS

Highly repeated DNA sequences of Eulemur fulvus mayottensis, E. corona tus, Lemur catta, and Hapalemur griseus griseus have been identified a nd compared. Sequence analysis of highly repeated DNA fragments isolat ed from L. catta and Hapalemur showed a high percentage of similarity (nearly 95%), as did fragments isolated from the two very close Eulemu r species, whereas comparison of the DNA fragments isolated from the t wo Eulemur species and the L. catta/Hapalemur group showed a very low percentage (approximately 40%) of identity, as might be expected for d istant species. These results confirm our previous data, obtained by S outhern blot hybridization techniques on the same species, and strongl y support the existence of a common trunk between L. catta and Hapalem ur, but different from that leading to the Eulemur species.