Primate genus Miopithecus: Evidence for the existence of species and subspecies of dwarf guenons based on cellular and endogenous viral sequences

Sequence data from the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene were combined with endog enous retrovirus sequences to study the position of the genus Miopithecus i n the primate tree. The mitochondrial sequences indicated that Miopithecus is a true genus distinct from Cercopithecus, although talapoin monkeys are commonly referred to as dwarf guenons. The existence of two species of dwar f guenons, suggested by differences in coat color, pigmentation, and geogra phic location, was supported by substantial mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene div ergence. In line with the informal proposal of J. Kingdon (1997, "The Kingd on Field Guide to African Mammals," Academic Press, London), we use the nam es Miopithecus talapoin for the southern, darker species and Miopithecus ou gouensis for the northern, lighter-colored monkeys. Different 12S rRNA gene haplotypes found in M. ougouensis individuals suggest the possible existen ce of additional subspecies. Simian endogenous retrovirus (SERV) strain 23. 1 proviruses were introduced in the primate germ-line after the Cercopithec inae split from the Colobinae, estimated at around 9-14 million years ago. SERV sequences were used for timing of divergence events in Cercopithecinae and confirmed the close relationship between the genera Cercopithecus and Miopithecus, which was only weakly supported by the more variable mtDNA seq uences in a distance analysis, demonstrating the utility of these pseudogen es in phylogenetic grouping. (C) 2000 Academic Press.