Intraspecific molecular phylogeny and phylogeography of theMeriones meridianus(Rodentia: Cricetidae) complex in northern China reflect the processes of desertification and the Tianshan Mountains uplift

Abstract

The phylogeographical patterns and demographic history of mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b, N = 327; D-loop, N = 252) and nuclear DNA (IRBP gene, N = 235) haplotypes were studied for the Meriones meridianus complex in northern China, a desert-dwelling gerbil species complex. The phylogenetic analyses, which were performed on the separate and combined (mitochondrial + nuclear) datasets, revealed two divergent clades (Clade A and Clade B) corresponding to distinct geographical regions. Clade A contained the haplotypes found mostly in individuals from the Tianshan Mountains area. Clade B contained haplotypes from populations located in other deserts in northern China. The divergence times indicated that the history of the M. meridianus complex was influenced by the uplift of the Tianshan Mountains and climate-induced habitat fluctuations. In the Pleistocene, the expansion of forests and grasslands during interglacial period led to the isolation of the M. meridianus complex, which preferred to inhabit deserts. Hence, long geological isolation and the M. meridianus complex adaptation to local ecological conditions led to its genetic divergence. Clade A had long-lasting demographic stability, most likely because the populations of this clade remained in a stable desert environment for a long time. However, the extension of other deserts and disappearance of palaeolakes during the last glacial period resulted in demographic expansion of Clade B. Furthermore, our genetic data indicated that two subspecies may exist within the M. meridianus complex.

Cranial variation in geographically widespread dwarf gerbilGerbillus nanus(Gerbillinae, Rodentia) populations: Isolation by distance versus adaptation to local environments

“…Furthermore, G. nanus DNA sequences do show strong genetic structure patterns (Bray et al., ; Ndiaye et al., ). Furthermore, two recent studies conducted on the gerbil genus Meriones have both shown genetic structure patterns associated with physical barriers (Dianat, Darvish, Cornette, Aliabadian, & Nicolas, ; Wang, Zhao, Fang, Liao, & Liu, ).…”

The colonization and divergence patterns of Brandt’s vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii) populations reveal evidence of genetic surfing

“…The GTR model was run for the entire population and for each D-loop haplogroup separately. Substitution rate for the D-loop sequences estimated for Meriones was similar to Microtus [84]. We used the substitution rate of 1.27 × 10 −7 substitutions per site per year in D-loop estimated for Meriones meridianus (95% confidence interval = 1.2 × 10 −7 to 1.33 × 10 −7 /site/year) [84] to scale the time axis of BSPs.…”

“…Substitution rate for the D-loop sequences estimated for Meriones was similar to Microtus [84]. We used the substitution rate of 1.27 × 10 −7 substitutions per site per year in D-loop estimated for Meriones meridianus (95% confidence interval = 1.2 × 10 −7 to 1.33 × 10 −7 /site/year) [84] to scale the time axis of BSPs. The chains were run for 200 (entire samples) and 40 (haplogroups) million iterations respectively, of which the first 10% were discarded.…”

Systematics and evolution of the libyan jird based on molecular and morphometric data

“…Keeping this in mind, the comparison of obtained genetic divergence between lineages with previously published studies can nonetheless give interesting clues. The Cytb genetic distance among species of the genus Meriones ranges from 12.3% to 20.5% (Wang, Zhao, Fang, Liao, & Liu, ). Between subspecies, it is 1.4% in Meriones tamariscinus (Bray et al, ), it ranges from 6.7% to 7.5% in M. meridianus (Bray et al, ) and it ranges from 2.5% to 9.6% in M. persicus (Dianat et al, ).…”