GULF OF GUINEA ISLANDS' BIODIVERSITY
NETWORK
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY AND MORPHOLOGICAL RECURRENCE IN AFRICAN FRUITBATS
YOLANDA ÁLVAREZ1*, JAVIER JUSTE B.1, 2 *, ENRIQUE TABARES1, AMANDO GARRIDO-PERTIERRA1, CARLOS IBÁÑEZ2 ** AND JOSÉ M. BAUTISTA1 **
1. Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular IV, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Veterinaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
2. Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Aptdo 1056, 41080 Sevilla, Spain.
* Both authors contributed equally to the paper.
** Corresponding authors.
Abstract
The present study evaluates the evolutionary framework of the Old World fruitbats based on the cytochrome b and 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene sequences from a wide range of taxa. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that morphology-based sub-families and most supra-generic groups are non-natural assemblages. They also support the existence of an endemic African clade of fruitbats. The discrepancy between the evolutionary relationships yielded by molecular and morphological datasets may be, at least in part, explained by the recurrent retention of primitive morphology (Rousettus-like) across different lineages. The maintenance of primitive characters in different groups, together with the unquestionable morphological convergence in others (e.g. nectar-feeding bats), may have led to high levels of homoplasy resulting in misleading taxonomic arrangements. This may be particularly so with respect to high taxonomic levels based on morphological characters.
Key words: Phylogeny, Fruitbats, morphological recurrence, cytochrome b, 16S rRNA.