PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSES OF MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA SUGGEST A SISTER GROUP RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN XENARTHRA (EDENTATA) AND FERUNGULATES

Authors
ARNASON U GULLBERG A JANKE A
Citation
U. Arnason et al., PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSES OF MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA SUGGEST A SISTER GROUP RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN XENARTHRA (EDENTATA) AND FERUNGULATES, Molecular biology and evolution, 14(7), 1997, pp. 762-768
Citations number
56
Categorie Soggetti
Biology
Journal title
Molecular biology and evolution → ACNP
ISSN journal
07374038
Volume
14
Issue
7
Year of publication
1997
Pages
762 - 768
Database
ISI
SICI code
0737-4038(1997)14:7<762:PAOMSA>2.0.ZU;2-M
Abstract
Phylogenetic analysis of 12 protein-coding genes from complete mitocho ndrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules of various mammals including a xenarthran representative, the armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), showed that the order Xenarthra (Edentata) is a sister group to the ferungulates (car nivores, perissodactyls, artiodactyls, cetaceans). Morphological and p revious molecular analyses have placed the Xenarthra basal to other ex tant eutherians. The present findings are in striking contrast with th at understanding. The results suggest that Xenarthra and ferungulates separated about 86 MYA.