A molecular and morphometric assessment of the systematics of the Macropus complex clarifies the tempo and mode of kangaroo evolution
Description
Kangaroos and wallabies of the Macropus complex include the largest extant marsupials and hopping mammals. They have traditionally been divided among the genus Macropus (with three subgenera: Macropus, Osphranter and Notamacropus) and the monotypic swamp wallaby, Wallabia bicolor. Recent retrotransposon and genome-scale phylogenetic analyses clarify the placement of Wallabia as sister to Notamacropus, with Osphranter and Macropus branching successively deeper. In view of the traditional Macropus concept being paraphyletic, we undertake to resolve the species-level phylogeny and genus-level taxonomy of the Macropus complex. For the first time, we include nuclear and mitochondrial DNA covering all extant species, and the first DNA sequences from the extinct Toolache wallaby (Notamacropus greyi), which we find groups with the black-gloved wallaby (Notamacropus irma). Morphological variation was examined using geometric morphometric methods on three-dimensional surface-scanned skulls. Wallabia skull shape fell close to Notamacropus (or Thylogale when controlling for allometry). We recommend the subgenera Macropus, Osphranter and Notamacropus be elevated to genera, alongside Wallabia, based on comparisons with other established macropodine genera for cranial disparity, ecology and molecular divergence. Our time tree estimates that all four ‘Macropus’ genera diverged close to the Miocene–Pliocene boundary (~6–5 Mya), then diversified coincident with Pliocene expansion of grasslands in Australia.
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ID Code: | 197272 | ||||||
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Item Type: | Contribution to Journal (Journal Article) | ||||||
Refereed: | Yes | ||||||
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Measurements or Duration: | 20 pages | ||||||
DOI: | 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz005 | ||||||
ISSN: | 1096-3642 | ||||||
Pure ID: | 33510946 | ||||||
Divisions: | Past > QUT Faculties & Divisions > Faculty of Health Past > Institutes > Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation Past > QUT Faculties & Divisions > Science & Engineering Faculty Current > Schools > School of Biomedical Sciences |
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Copyright Owner: | Consult author(s) regarding copyright matters | ||||||
Copyright Statement: | This work is covered by copyright. Unless the document is being made available under a Creative Commons Licence, you must assume that re-use is limited to personal use and that permission from the copyright owner must be obtained for all other uses. If the document is available under a Creative Commons License (or other specified license) then refer to the Licence for details of permitted re-use. It is a condition of access that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. If you believe that this work infringes copyright please provide details by email to qut.copyright@qut.edu.au | ||||||
Deposited On: | 10 Mar 2020 01:39 | ||||||
Last Modified: | 04 Jul 2024 13:55 |
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