Identification, classification and evolution of Owl Monkeys (Aotus, Illiger 1811)

Abstract

BackgroundOwl monkeys, belonging to the genus Aotus, have been extensively used as animal models in biomedical research but few reports have focused on the taxonomy and phylogeography of this genus. Moreover, the morphological similarity of several Aotus species has led to frequent misidentifications, mainly at the boundaries of their distribution. In this study, sequence data from five mitochondrial regions and the nuclear, Y-linked, SRY gene were used for species identification and phylogenetic reconstructions using well characterized specimens of Aotus nancymaae, A. vociferans, A. lemurinus, A. griseimembra, A. trivirgatus, A. nigriceps, A. azarae boliviensis and A. infulatus.ResultsThe complete MT-CO1, MT-TS1, MT-TD, MT-CO2, MT-CYB regions were sequenced in 18 Aotus specimens. ML and Bayesian topologies of concatenated data and separate regions allowed for the proposition of a tentative Aotus phylogeny, indicating that Aotus diverged some 4.62 Million years before present (MYBP). Similar analyses with included GenBank specimens were useful for assessing species identification of deposited data.ConclusionsAlternative phylogenetic reconstructions, when compared with karyotypic and biogeographic data, led to the proposition of evolutionary scenarios questioning the conventional diversification of this genus in monophyletic groups with grey and red necks. Moreover, genetic distance estimates and haplotypic differences were useful for species validations.

Morphological and genetic diversity in Callithrix hybrids in an anthropogenic area in southeastern Brazil (Primates: Cebidae: Callitrichinae)

“…Primers for L14724 (Irwin et al 1991) and Cytb rev (Casado et al 2010) were used to amplify MT-CYB. The PCR product of the MT-CYB gene was purified and sequenced using the same PCR primers and the internal primers Sot in1 and Sot in2 (Cassens et al 2000); Alo aot F and Alo aot R (Menezes et al 2010); and Citb alo (Bonvicino et al 2001). The product was labeled with XL and BigDye Terminator v3.1 Cycle Sequencing Kit (Applied Biosystems).…”

Chromosomes and phylogeography of Sylvilagus (Mammalia, Leporidae) from eastern Brazil

“…L14724 (5'-CGAAGCTTGATATGA AAAACCATCGTTG-3' (Irwin et al 1991) and CIT-REV (5'-GAATATCA GCTTTGG-3' (Casado et al 2010). Amplicons were purified with GFX PCR DNA and Gel Band Purification Kit (GE Healthcare, Brazil) and labeled with primers L14724 and Citb AOT (5'-CATGAGGCCAAAT ATCATTCTGAGG-3 (Menezes et al 2010), SOT-In1 (5`-TTRTTRGAT CCTGTTTCRTG-3` (Cassens et al 2000) and SOT-In2 (5`-TGAGGACA AATATCATTYTGAG-3` (Cassens et al 2000). Sequencing was carried out in an ABI PrismTM 3730 automatic DNA platform.…”

Chromosome Painting in Two Genera of South American Monkeys: Species Identification, Conservation, and Management

“…Groves, one of the most influential current primate taxonomists, listed 10 species in 1993 [Groves, 1993] but reduced this number to 8 in 2001 [Groves, 2001]. A recent publication divides the genus into 11 species and reports that some of these species have multiple chromosome numbers [Menezes et al, 2010]. For the geographic distribution of the Aotus taxa, see figure 1 of Menezes et al [2010] (http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/10/248/figure/F1).…”