State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
PLoS One. 2013 Jul 26;8(7):e70461. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070461. Print 2013.
The polymorphic genus Petaurista includes a group of diverse species and subspecies that are adapted for gliding and arboreal life. This morphological diversity has resulted in taxonomic discrepancies, and molecular phylogenetic studies have been limited by taxon sampling. To clarify this controversial taxonomy, we used the cytochrome b gene to reconstruct the phylogeny to obtain a more accurate picture of the evolutionary relationships, species differentiation and divergence pattern of Petaurista. The results revealed a significant inconsistency between taxonomic designations, phylogeny and genetic distances. When 6 recognized species were included, species delimitation revealed 15 putative species, a finding that warrants a comprehensive morphological diagnosis and a re-assessment of the species status. The validity of P. caniceps and P. marica was discussed. An estimation of the molecular divergence time demonstrated that the diversification and speciation of Petaurista began during the later Miocene and may have been affected by the uplifting of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and subsequent climate change.
多态属大鼯鼠包括一组适应滑翔和树栖生活的不同物种和亚种。这种形态多样性导致了分类学上的差异，分子系统发育研究也受到分类采样的限制。为了澄清这个有争议的分类学，我们使用细胞色素 b 基因来重建系统发育，以更准确地了解大鼯鼠的进化关系、物种分化和分歧模式。结果表明，分类学命名、系统发育和遗传距离之间存在显著不一致。当包括 6 个公认的物种时，物种划定揭示了 15 个假定的物种，这一发现需要进行全面的形态学诊断和对物种地位的重新评估。讨论了大鼯鼠指名亚种和大鼯鼠马来亚种的有效性。分子分歧时间的估计表明，大鼯鼠的多样化和物种形成始于上新世晚期，可能受到青藏高原隆升和随后气候变化的影响。
