Biology Faculty Articles

Title

Resolution of the Early Placental Mammal Radiation Using Bayesian Phylogenetics

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-14-2001

Publication Title

Science

ISSN

0036-8075

Volume

294

Issue/No.

5550

First Page

2348

Last Page

2351

Abstract

Molecular phylogenetic studies have resolved placental mammals into four major groups, but have not established the full hierarchy of interordinal relationships, including the position of the root. The latter is critical for understanding the early biogeographic history of placentals. We investigated placental phylogeny using Bayesian and maximum-likelihood methods and a 16.4- kilobase molecular data set. Interordinal relationships are almost entirely resolved. The basal split is between Afrotheria and other placentals, at about 103 million years, and may be accounted for by the separation of South America and Africa in the Cretaceous. Crown-group Eutheria may have their most recent common ancestry in the Southern Hemisphere (Gondwana).

Comments

©2001 American Association for the Advancement of Science

ORCID ID

0000-0001-7353-8301

ResearcherID

N-1726-2015

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Peer Reviewed

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