Molecular phylogeny and evolution of the extinct bovid Myotragus balearicus

Authors: Lalueza-Fox C.¹; Shapiro B.²; Bover P.³; Alcover J.A.³; Bertranpetit J.⁴

Source: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Volume 25, Number 3, December 2002 , pp. 501-510(10)

Publisher: Academic Press

Abstract:

Myotragus balearicus was a dwarf artiodactyl endemic to the Eastern Balearic Islands, where it evolved in isolation for more than 5 million years before becoming extinct between 3640 and 2135 cal BC (calibrated years BC). Numerous unusual apomorphies obscure the relationship between Myotragus and the extant Caprinae. Therefore, genetic data for this species would significantly contribute to the clarification of its taxonomic position. In this study, we amplify, sequence, and clone a 338-base pair (bp) segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene from a >9 KyrMyotragus subfossil from la Cova des Gorgs (Mallorca). Our results confirm the phylogenetic affinity of Myotragus with the sheep (Ovis) and the takin (Budorcas). In each tree, the Myotragus branch is long in comparison with the other taxa, which may be evidence of a local change in the rate of evolution in cyt b. This rate change may be due to in part to an early age of first reproduction and short generation time inMyotragus, factors that are potentially related to the extreme reduction in size of the adult Myotragus as compared to the other Caprinae.

© 2002 Elsevier Science (USA)

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00290-7

Affiliations: 1: Laboratori d'Antropologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 645, Barcelona 08028, Spain 2: Ancient Biomolecules Centre, Department of Zoology, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK 3: Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avanc¸ats (CSIC-UIB), Cta. de Valldemosa km 7.5, Ciutat de Mallorca 07071, Spain 4: Unitat de Biologia Evolutiva, Facultat de Cie`ncies de la Salut i de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Doctor Aiguader 80, Barcelona 08003, Spain

Publication date: 2002-12-01

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