Molecular phylogeny and morphological homoplasy in fruitbats

Abstract

The present study evaluates the evolutionary framework of the Old World fruitbats based on the cytochrome b and 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene sequences from a wide range of taxa. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that morphology-based subfamilies and most suprageneric groups are nonnatural assemblages. They also support the existence of an endemic African clade of fruitbats. The discrepancy between the evolutionary relationships yielded by molecular and morphological data sets may be, at least in part, explained by the recurrent retention of primitive morphology (Rousettus-like) across different lineages. The maintenance of primitive characters in different groups of flying foxes, as well as morphological convergence in nectar-feeding bats and possibly also in short-muzzle bats, may have led to high levels of homoplasy, resulting in misleading taxonomic arrangements. This may be particularly so with respect to high taxonomic levels based on morphological characters.

Loss of LINE-1 Activity in the Megabats

“…Although the deep nodes of megabat phylogenies are not well resolved at this time (Hollar and Springer 1997;Alvarez et al 1999;Giannini and Simmons 2005;Teeling et al 2005), it is clear that the species used in this study represent a broad phylogenetic sampling of the group. Our results thus suggest a single extinction event in a common ancestor of all the megabats.…”

Cultural evolution of killer whale calls: background, mechanisms and consequences

“…Saturation leads to convergence of traits in non-related taxa (homoplasy), which also occurs in morphology (e.g. Alvarez et al, 1999;Mueller et al, 2004).…”

Molecular Phylogenetics of the Chiropteran Family Vespertilionidae

“…Second, independent evolution of Myotis species in different parts of the world with subsequent convergent adaptive radiations certainly is not an isolated case among bats or other vertebrate groups. The Old World fruit bats or flying foxes (Hollar and Springer, 1997;Alvarez et al, 1999), along with cichlid fishes (Verheyen et al, 1996), ranid frogs (Bossuyt and Milinkovitch, 2000), Caribbean anoles (Beuttell and Losos, 1999), and river dolphins (Cassens et al, 2000) all represent well-documented examples. Third, the fossil record for Myotis does not contradict an early separation of New and Old World species.…”