Phylogenetic relationships among populations of spider monkeys (Ateles spp.) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA variation
This project provides genetic sequence data on the variation present among geographically and taxonomically distinct haplotypes of spider monkeys (Ateles) for the mitochondrial Displacement Loop, mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit II, and nuclear Aldolase Intron V gene regions. Comparison of...
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| Format: | Dissertation |
| Language: | English |
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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
01-01-1998
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| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | This project provides genetic sequence data on the variation present among geographically and taxonomically distinct haplotypes of spider monkeys (Ateles) for the mitochondrial Displacement Loop, mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit II, and nuclear Aldolase Intron V gene regions. Comparison of these sequences based on both parsimony analysis and genetic distance analysis produced phylogenetic relationships that were very similar for each distinct region. These phylograms along with associated bootstrap support, confidence probabilities, and genetic distances between similar haplotypes were used to identify four monophyletic species of Ateles. These include A. paniscus, composed of haplotypes from the northeastern Amazon Basin; A. belzebuth found in the southern Amazon Basin; A. hybridus located primarily along the Magdalena River valley of Colombia; and A. geoffroyi which includes as subspecies the two former species A. geoffroyi and A. fusciceps . This arrangement is contradictory to long held Ateles taxonomies based on pelage variation and is similar to recent studies on morphological variation. This project also utilized the concept of a local molecular clock to date the last common ancestors of various clades within the phylogram. This information was combined with hypothesized recreations of the biogeographic history of the Neotropics to investigate possible mechanisms driving the evolutionary processes which resulted in the phylogenetic relationships discovered. These results suggest that vicariant speciation during the Pliocene driven by changes in prominent geographic features such as the rise of the Andes Mountains were responsible for most of the speciation in Ateles, contrary to theories that suggest much Neotropical speciation occurred during the Pleistocene. Finally, this project examined the relationships among members of the subfamily Atelinae to address the phylogenetic relationships of this group using the same genetic regions. This investigation used representatives of all Ateles taxonomic groups in elucidation of phylogenetic relationships and discovered that previous studies which used only one or two samples of Ateles may have been missing much of the variation present in this genus and thus affecting the outcomes of their phylogenetic investigations. The conclusion suggests a trichotomy between Brachyteles, Ateles and Lagothrix should be supported at the present time. |
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| ISBN: | 9780599167124 0599167122 |