The phylogenetic position of the enigmatic Atlantic forest-endemic spiny mouse Abrawayaomys (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae)

Abstract

Background: The phylogenetic position of the sigmodontine genus Abrawayaomys, historically assigned to the tribe Thomasomyini or considered a sigmodontine incertae sedis, was assessed on the basis of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences obtained from four individuals from different localities in the Atlantic forest of Brazil. Sequences of Abrawayaomys were analyzed in the context of broad taxonomic matrices by means of maximumlikelihood (ML) and Bayesian analyses (BA). Results: The phylogenetic position of Abrawayaomys differed depending on the gene analyzed and the analysis performed (interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) ML: sister to Thomasomyini; IRBP BA: sister to Akodontini; cytochrome (Cyt) b ML: sister to Neotomys; and Cyt b BA: sister to Reithrodontini). With the sole exception of the BA based on Cyt b sequences, where the Abrawayaomys-Reithrodon clade had strong support, all sistergroup relationships involving Abrawayaomys lacked any significant support.

Phylogeny of the tribe Abrotrichini (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae): integrating morphological and molecular evidence into a new classification

“…Although Wiedomys and Abrotrichini are united in molecular analyses, these clades possess numerous trenchant morphological differences that refute a sister‐group relationship. Replicating this pattern of bizarre and unexpected relationships emerging from recent molecular analyses, the Atlantic Forest endemic Delomys appears as sister to the widespread Phyllotini (Salazar‐Bravo et al., ), and the bizarre spiny mouse Abrawayaomys appears as sister to the disjointly distributed Reithrodontini (Ventura et al., ). We argue that inclusion of morphological traits in phylogenetic analyses could alter some relationships that have been recovered based solely on molecular analyses that are difficult to reconcile with phenotypic evidence.…”

The presence of Wilfredomys oenax (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) in São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil: a locally extinct species?

“…Although the phylogenetic position of these three genera remains unresolved, or at least controversial (see Reig, 1980;Pacheco, 2003;D'Elía et al, 2007;Ventura et al, 2013), some advances on Wiedomys and Juliomys were obtained, including new species (Oliveira & Bonvicino, 2002;Gonçalves et al, 2005;Costa et al, 2007) and new records (Pavan & Leite, 2011;Fonseca et al, 2013). Conversely, Wilfredomys Ávila-Pires (1960) and Pine (1980).…”

“…Recently, long-term studies have helped to answer this question, since the use of pitfall traps at several São Paulo localities, including areas with anthropogenic disturbances, have registered all these rare species Leiner & Silva, 2012;Ventura et al, 2013) -except P. ferrugineous, endemic from Serra da Bocaina region -indicating that those species probably occur in low population densities. However, differently, not a single new record of W. oenax has been found for São Paulo state since the one from Ubatuba made 71 years ago, indicating that low population densities might not be the case for this species.…”

“…Interestingly other Sigmodontinae species from the Atlantic Forest, formely considered very rare, have been recently reported to São Paulo state, such as Abrawayaomys ruschii Souza Cunha & Cruz, 1979 (Vivo et al, 2011;Ventura et al, 2013) and R. rufescens (Steiner-Souza et al, 2008), and other poorly known species such as the recent described J. ossitenuis (Costa, et al, 2007), R. itoan and Drymoreomys albimaculatus Suárez-Villota et al, 2013). Additionally, I found 13 new records of Sigmodontinae based on MZUSP specimens: nine localities of A. ruschii, two of D. albimaculatus, one of Phaenomys ferrugineous Thomas, 1894 and one of R. rufescens near the limits of the (Castro & Langer, 2011), (3) Curitiba, Paraná (Ávila-Pires, 1960).…”

Relating appendicular skeletal variation of sigmodontine rodents to locomotion modes in a phylogenetic context

“…12 rRNA, BRCA1, COX3, GRH, RAG1) and reconstruction methods (maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood). More recently, Pardiñas et al (2015) defined and diagnosed the Euneomyini tribe on the basis of anatomical characters and nuclear and mitochondrial markers, confirming previous studies that had indicated that this group was a unique branch of the sigmodontine radiation (Mart ınez et al 2012;Parada et al 2013;Salazar-Bravo et al 2013;Schenk et al 2013;Ventura et al 2013;Pardiñas et al 2014). Finally, the Andinomyini tribe, grouping Andinomys and Punomys, was also recently recognized on the basis of anatomical and molecular characters (Salazar-Bravo et al 2016).…”