Remarkable Species Diversity in Malagasy Mouse Lemurs (Primates, Microcebus)

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 97; no. 21; pp. 11325 - 11330
• Main Authors: Yoder, Anne D., Rasoloarison, Rodin M., Goodman, Steven M., Irwin, Jodi A., Atsalis, Sylvia, Ravosa, Matthew J., Ganzhorn, Jorg U.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 10-10-2000; National Acad Sciences; National Academy of Sciences; The National Academy of Sciences
• Subjects: Animals; Biodiversity; Biological Sciences; Biological taxonomies; Deciduous forests; Degraded forests; DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics; Dry forests; Evolution; Forest reserves; Forest soils; Haplotypes; Islands; Lemur - classification; Lemur - genetics; Madagascar; Mice; Microcebus; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Primates; Rain forests; Species diversity; Species Specificity; Madagascar
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.200121897

Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA sequence data confirms the observation that species diversity in the world's smallest living primate (genus Microcebus) has been greatly underestimated. The description of three species new to science, and the resurrection of two others from synonymy, has been justified on morphological grounds and is supported by evidence of reproductive isolation in sympatry. This taxonomic revision doubles the number of recognized mouse lemur species. The molecular data and phylogenetic analyses presented here verify the revision and add a historical framework for understanding mouse lemur species diversity. Phylogenetic analysis revises established hypotheses of ecogeographic constraint for the maintenance of species boundaries in these endemic Malagasy primates. Mouse lemur clades also show conspicuous patterns of regional endemism, thereby emphasizing the threat of local deforestation to Madagascar's unique biodiversity.