Molecular characterization of Acomys louisae from Somaliland: a deep divergence and contrasting genetic patterns in a rift zone

Frynta, Daniel; Palupčíková, Klára; Elmi, Hassan Sh Abdirahman; Awale, Ahmed Ibrahim; Frýdlová, Petra

doi:10.1007/s42991-020-00045-7

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 73 publications

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“…1.7 Ma; Figure 3) is well concordant with other small mammals, sympatric with Galegeeska in the Somali‐Masai region, for example, Arvicanthis somalicus versus A . neumanni (Bryja et al, 2019), two clades of Acomys louisae (Frynta et al, 2020), Gerbilliscus robustus versus G . sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Rufous Sengi is not Elephantulus —Multilocus reconstruction of evolutionary history of sengis from the subfamily Macroscelidinae

Krásová

Mikula

Šumbera

et al. 2021

J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res.

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The evolutionary history of sengis (Macroscelidea), an order of Afrotheria, has been studied in last decades by molecular phylogenetic approaches. These studies proposed an evolutionary scenario for this group of mammals and, surprisingly, revealed the presence of two new genera, delimited and described in the last five years. However, most research has relied solely upon samples from Southern Africa, while the genetic information from East Africa and the Zambezian region was only fragmentary. Here, we provide the most complete multilocus phylogeny of the subfamily Macroscelidinae, using new material mainly from eastern Africa, Zambia, and Angola. In agreement with previous studies, we confirmed the presence of two major radiations in the group, corresponding to recently defined tribes Macroscelidini and Elephantulini. Contrary to previous studies, however, we provide clear genetic evidence that the widespread East African Rufous Sengi (Elephantulus rufescens) belongs to the recently delimited genus Galegeeska. This finding is in agreement with morphological traits and with general biogeographical patterns in sub‐Saharan Africa. Revised divergence dating using a multispecies coalescent approach revealed much younger splits in Macroscelidea, compared with previous studies, with a majority of recent species appearing in the Plio–Pleistocene. The genus Galegeeska thus represents a typical mammalian genus of the Somali‐Masai bioregion and its current diversity (at least two recognized species, G. revoilii and G. rufescens) arose during the Pleistocene climatic oscillations, which is in agreement with other studies of small mammals in this region.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Rufous Sengi is not Elephantulus —Multilocus reconstruction of evolutionary history of sengis from the subfamily Macroscelidinae

Krásová

Mikula

Šumbera

et al. 2021

J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res.

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Rodents of the Afar Triangle (Ethiopia): geographical isolation causes high level of endemism

et al. 2022

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Afromontane mosaic vegetation acts as a barrier between small mammals from two savannah biomes in northern Ethiopia

Welegerima,

Meheretu,

Bryja

et al. 2024

Biodivers Conserv

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Despite its biogeographical uniqueness, where two vast savanna regions are separated by the Afromontane mosaic vegetation, there is a signi cant lack of small mammal sampling in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Leveraging all our available data on rodents and shrews in the region, we tested the hypothesis that the Afromontane mosaic vegetation in the highlands acts as a barrier to gene ow between taxa found in the Somali-Masai and Sudanian savanna in the southeast and western lowland parts of the region, respectively. Morphological and DNA sequence analysis con rmed the presence of 23 species of small rodents and shrews in the region. We recorded 18 of these species in the Afromontane mosaic vegetation, seven species in the Sudanian savanna, and four species in the Somali-Masai savanna. Notably, the fauna of Sudanian savanna was strikingly different from that of the Somali-Masai savanna at both intraspeci c and interspeci c level, suggesting northern Ethiopian highlands as very strong biogeographic barrier for taxa adapted to arid lowlands. However, the reported species diversity remains provisional, and additional sampling from unexplored areas is needed. Furthermore, some of the reported taxa, in this study, such as Mus cf. tenellus, Crocidura cf. fuscomurina, Dendromus sp. indet. 2, and Otomys cf. cheesmani, require detailed taxonomic investigation and may represent new species. A robust understanding of the taxonomic diversity and distribution of the small mammals in the region is crucial for effective conservation planning as well as for addressing practical questions related to rodents, such as in public health and pest management.vegetation of the highest mountains in the region (e.g. Mount Tsbet); (iv) Somali-Masai savanna vegetation, limited to the Acacia (= Vachellia)-Commiphora deciduous bushland and thickets from the border of the Afar Region; and (v) Sudanian savanna vegetation, covering most of the western and northwest part of the region, including the Kafata-Humera and Kafta-Sheraro National Park; The eastern highland escarpments (the end of the north-western escarpments of the Ethiopian Great Rift Valley) are the only remnant sites with fragmented Afromontane forest cover left in the region.Despite its biogeographical uniqueness, where two vast savannas (Somali-Masai and Sudanian) are separated east-west by Afromontane mosaic vegetation, there is a signi cant lack of sampling of small mammals in Tigray to investigate the role of the Afromontane mosaic vegetation as a barrier for gene ow (see the sampling gap in Bryja et al. 2019a). In comparison, available data for Tigray are biased towards the Afromontaine mosaic region, crop elds, and, to some extent,

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Molecular characterization of Acomys louisae from Somaliland: a deep divergence and contrasting genetic patterns in a rift zone

Cited by 4 publications

References 73 publications

The Rufous Sengi is not Elephantulus —Multilocus reconstruction of evolutionary history of sengis from the subfamily Macroscelidinae

The Rufous Sengi is not Elephantulus —Multilocus reconstruction of evolutionary history of sengis from the subfamily Macroscelidinae

Rodents of the Afar Triangle (Ethiopia): geographical isolation causes high level of endemism

Afromontane mosaic vegetation acts as a barrier between small mammals from two savannah biomes in northern Ethiopia

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