Johnson W E, O'Brien S J
Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA.
J Mol Evol. 1997;44 Suppl 1:S98-116. doi: 10.1007/pl00000060.
The Felidae family represents a challenge for molecular phylogenetic reconstruction because it consists of 38 living species that evolved from a relatively recent common ancestor (10-15 million years ago). We have determined mitochondrial DNA sequences from two genes that evolve at relatively rapid evolutionary rates, 16S rRNA (379 bp) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (NADH-5, 318 bp), from multiple individuals of 35 species. Based on separate and combined gene analyses using minimum evolution, maximum parsimony, and maximum likelihood phylogenetic methods, we recognized eight significant clusters or species clades that likely reflect separate monophyletic evolutionary radiations in the history of this family. The clusters include (1) ocelot lineage, (2) domestic cat lineage, (3) Panthera genus, (4) puma group, (5) Lynx genus, (6) Asian leopard cat group, (7) caracal group, and (8) bay cat group. The results confirm and extend previously hypothesized associations in most cases, but in others, e.g., the bay cat group, suggest novel phylogenetic relationships. The results are compared and evaluated with molecular, cytogenetic, and morphological data to derive a phylogenetic synthesis of field evolutionary history.
猫科动物对于分子系统发育重建来说是一项挑战，因为它由38个现存物种组成，这些物种是从一个相对较近的共同祖先（1000 - 1500万年前）进化而来的。我们已经从35个物种的多个个体中确定了来自两个进化速率相对较快的基因的线粒体DNA序列，即16S rRNA（379 bp）和NADH脱氢酶亚基5（NADH - 5，318 bp）。基于使用最小进化法、最大简约法和最大似然法系统发育方法对单独基因和组合基因的分析，我们识别出八个显著的类群或物种分支，它们可能反映了该科历史上单独的单系进化辐射。这些类群包括：（1）豹猫谱系，（2）家猫谱系，（3）豹属，（4）美洲狮类群，（5）猞猁属，（6）亚洲豹猫类群，（7）狞猫类群，以及（8）云猫类群。在大多数情况下，结果证实并扩展了先前假设的关联，但在其他情况下，例如云猫类群，则表明了新的系统发育关系。将这些结果与分子、细胞遗传学和形态学数据进行比较和评估，以得出该科野外进化历史的系统发育综合情况。
