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The impact of fossil calibrations, codon positions and relaxed clocks on the divergence time estimates of the native Australian rodents (Conilurini).

Nilsson, Maria A ; Bartosch-Härlid, Anna LU ; Kullberg, Morgan and Janke, Axel (2010) In Gene 455. p.22-31
Abstract
The native rodents are the most species-rich placental mammal group on the Australian continent. Fossils of native Australian rodents belonging to the group Conilurini are known from Northern Australia at 4.5Ma. These fossil assemblages already display a rich diversity of rodents, but the exact timing of their arrival on the Australian continent is not yet established. The complete mitochondrial genomes of two native Australian rodents, Leggadina lakedownensis (Lakeland Downs mouse) and Pseudomys chapmani (Western Pebble-mound mouse) were sequenced for investigating their evolutionary history. The molecular data were used for studying the phylogenetic position and divergence times of the Australian rodents, using 12 calibration points and... (More)
The native rodents are the most species-rich placental mammal group on the Australian continent. Fossils of native Australian rodents belonging to the group Conilurini are known from Northern Australia at 4.5Ma. These fossil assemblages already display a rich diversity of rodents, but the exact timing of their arrival on the Australian continent is not yet established. The complete mitochondrial genomes of two native Australian rodents, Leggadina lakedownensis (Lakeland Downs mouse) and Pseudomys chapmani (Western Pebble-mound mouse) were sequenced for investigating their evolutionary history. The molecular data were used for studying the phylogenetic position and divergence times of the Australian rodents, using 12 calibration points and various methods. Phylogenetic analyses place the native Australian rodents as the sister-group to the genus Mus. The Mus-Conilurini calibration point (7.3-11.0Ma) is highly critical for estimating rodent divergence times, while the influence of the different algorithms on estimating divergence times is negligible. The influence of the data type was investigated, indicating that amino acid data are more likely to reflect the correct divergence times than nucleotide sequences. The study on the problems related to estimating divergence times in fast-evolving lineages such as rodents, emphasize the choice of data and calibration points as being critical. Furthermore, it is essential to include accurate calibration points for fast-evolving groups, because the divergence times can otherwise be estimated to be significantly older. The divergence times of the Australian rodents are highly congruent and are estimated to 6.5-7.2Ma, a date that is compatible with their fossil record. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Gene
volume
455
pages
22 - 31
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000276762300004
  • pmid:20153409
  • scopus:77950626129
  • pmid:20153409
ISSN
1879-0038
DOI
10.1016/j.gene.2010.02.002
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d6885826-97f2-4c75-8ff9-146c20f7fbb0 (old id 1552675)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20153409?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:15:45
date last changed
2022-01-29 17:00:48
@article{d6885826-97f2-4c75-8ff9-146c20f7fbb0,
  abstract     = {{The native rodents are the most species-rich placental mammal group on the Australian continent. Fossils of native Australian rodents belonging to the group Conilurini are known from Northern Australia at 4.5Ma. These fossil assemblages already display a rich diversity of rodents, but the exact timing of their arrival on the Australian continent is not yet established. The complete mitochondrial genomes of two native Australian rodents, Leggadina lakedownensis (Lakeland Downs mouse) and Pseudomys chapmani (Western Pebble-mound mouse) were sequenced for investigating their evolutionary history. The molecular data were used for studying the phylogenetic position and divergence times of the Australian rodents, using 12 calibration points and various methods. Phylogenetic analyses place the native Australian rodents as the sister-group to the genus Mus. The Mus-Conilurini calibration point (7.3-11.0Ma) is highly critical for estimating rodent divergence times, while the influence of the different algorithms on estimating divergence times is negligible. The influence of the data type was investigated, indicating that amino acid data are more likely to reflect the correct divergence times than nucleotide sequences. The study on the problems related to estimating divergence times in fast-evolving lineages such as rodents, emphasize the choice of data and calibration points as being critical. Furthermore, it is essential to include accurate calibration points for fast-evolving groups, because the divergence times can otherwise be estimated to be significantly older. The divergence times of the Australian rodents are highly congruent and are estimated to 6.5-7.2Ma, a date that is compatible with their fossil record.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Maria A and Bartosch-Härlid, Anna and Kullberg, Morgan and Janke, Axel}},
  issn         = {{1879-0038}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{22--31}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Gene}},
  title        = {{The impact of fossil calibrations, codon positions and relaxed clocks on the divergence time estimates of the native Australian rodents (Conilurini).}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2010.02.002}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.gene.2010.02.002}},
  volume       = {{455}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}