MOLECULAR EVIDENCE FOR MULTIPLE ORIGINS OF INSECTIVORA AND FOR A NEW ORDER OF ENDEMIC AFRICAN INSECTIVORE MAMMALS

The traditional views regarding the mammalian order Insectivora are th at the group descended from a single common ancestor and that it is co mprised of the following families: Soricidae (shrews), Tenrecidae (ten recs), Solenodontidae (solenodons), Talpidae (moles), Erinaceidae (hed gehogs and gymnures), and Chrysochloridae (golden moles). Here we pres ent a molecular analysis that includes representatives of all six fami lies of insectivores, as well as 37 other taxa representing marsupials , monotremes, and all but two orders of placental mammals. These data come from complete sequences of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, tRNA-Valin e, and 16S rRNA genes (2.6 kb). A wide range of different methods of p hylogenetic analysis groups the tenrecs and golden moles (both endemic to Africa) in an all-African superordinal clade comprised of elephant s, sirenians, hyracoids, aardvark, and elephant shrews, to the exclusi on of the other four remaining families of insectivores. Statistical a nalyses reject the idea of a monophyletic Insectivora as well as tradi tional concepts of the insectivore suborder Soricomorpha. These findin gs are supported by sequence analyses of several nuclear genes present ed here: VWF, A2AB, and alpha-beta hemoglobin. These results require t hat the order Insectivora be partitioned and that the two African fami lies (golden moles and tenrecs) be placed in a new order. The African superordinal clade now includes six orders of placental mammals.