Molecular evidence regarding the origin of echolocation and flight in bats
Article Abstract:
It has been possible to undertake a phylogenetic analysis of bat relationships using DNA sequence data from four nuclear genes and three mitochrondrial genes. It appears that microbat families in the superfamily Rhinolophoidea are more closely related to megabats than they are to other microbats. This suggests that echolocation systems evolved independently in rhinolophoids and other microbats or were lost in the evolution of megabats. It is possible that changes in roosting locations and foraging habits eliminated the need for echolocation.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 2000
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Parallel adaptive radiations in tow major clades of placental mammals
Article Abstract:
Research is presented concerning the analysis of 2,947 and 5,708 base pairs of DNA for all the orders of placental mammals to determine the relationship which exists between them at a higher level.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 2001
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Endemic African mammals shake the phylogenetic tree
Article Abstract:
Cladistic analysis indicates that living insectivores are united by derived anatomical features. The DNA sequences from mitochondrial and nuclear genes are analysed to examine the links between insectivores and other mammals. An expanded data set showed that insectivores are not monophyletic and that golden moles are part of the same clade containing hyraxes, elephants, aardvarks, manatees and elephant shrews, presumed to be of African origin. This indicates a large African radiation from a single common ancestor.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 1997
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