Open AccessPhylogeny and evolutionary history of birch mice Sicista Griffith, 1827 (Sminthidae, Rodentia): Implications from a multigene study
Author(s) -
Lebedev Vladimir S.,
Rusin Mikhail Yu.,
Zemlemerova Elena D.,
Matrosova Vera A.,
Bannikova Anna A.,
Kovalskaya Yulia M.,
Tesakov Alexey S.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of zoological systematics and evolutionary research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.769
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1439-0469
pISSN - 0947-5745
DOI - 10.1111/jzs.12279
Subject(s) - biology , lineage (genetic) , phylogenetics , clade , mitochondrial dna , nuclear gene , evolutionary biology , molecular phylogenetics , sister group , zoology , species complex , cytochrome b , phylogenetic tree , gene , genetics
Phylogeny of birch mice is estimated using sequences of ten nuclear genes and one mitochondrial gene. Based on the results of tree reconstructions and molecular dating, five major lineages are recognized: “ tianschanica ,” “ concolor ,” “ caudata ,” “ betulina ,” and “ caucasica .” It is established that the three latter lineages constitute a clade and that the long‐tailed birch mouse Sicista caudata is the sister group of the “ caucasica ” lineage. The “ tianschanica ” lineage is placed as the sister branch to all other species, however, with insufficient support. The cytochrome b tree is generally concordant with the nuclear topology. The molecular clock results suggest that the radiation among the main lineages occurred in the Late Miocene–Early Pliocene (6.0–4.7 Mya). The correspondence between molecular dating and the fossil record is discussed. Based on nuclear data, a high level of divergence between cryptic species in the “ tianschanica ” lineage is confirmed. Mitochondrial and nuclear data suggest the existence of a potential cryptic species within Sicista strandi .