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Mitogenomic analyses provide new insights into cetacean origin and evolution

Arnason, Ulfur LU ; Gullberg, Anette LU and Janke, Axel LU (2004) In Gene 333. p.27-34
Abstract
The evolution of the order Cetacea (whales, dolphins, porpoises) has, for a long time, attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists. Here we examine cetacean phylogenetic relationships on the basis of analyses of complete mitochondrial genomes that represent all extant cetacean families. The results suggest that the ancestors of recent cetaceans had an explosive evolutionary radiation 30-35 million years before present. During this period, extant cetaceans divided into the two primary groups, Mysticeti (baleen whales) and Odontoceti (toothed whales). Soon after this basal split, the Odontoceti diverged into the four extant lineages, sperm whales, beaked whales, Indian river dolphins and delphinoids (iniid river dolphins,... (More)
The evolution of the order Cetacea (whales, dolphins, porpoises) has, for a long time, attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists. Here we examine cetacean phylogenetic relationships on the basis of analyses of complete mitochondrial genomes that represent all extant cetacean families. The results suggest that the ancestors of recent cetaceans had an explosive evolutionary radiation 30-35 million years before present. During this period, extant cetaceans divided into the two primary groups, Mysticeti (baleen whales) and Odontoceti (toothed whales). Soon after this basal split, the Odontoceti diverged into the four extant lineages, sperm whales, beaked whales, Indian river dolphins and delphinoids (iniid river dolphins, narwhals/belugas, porpoises and true dolphins). The current data set has allowed test of two recent morphological hypotheses on cetacean origin. One of these hypotheses posits that Artiodactyla and Cetacea originated from the extinct group Mesonychia, and the other that Mesonychia/Cetacea constitutes a sister group to Artiodactyla. The current results are inconsistent with both these hypotheses. The findings suggest that the claimed morphological similarities between Mesonychia and Cetacea are the result of evolutionary convergence rather than common ancestry. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
molecular tests of, cetancodonta, artiodactyla, whales, mesonychia, morphological hypotheses
in
Gene
volume
333
pages
27 - 34
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:15177677
  • wos:000222074800004
  • scopus:2942529014
ISSN
1879-0038
DOI
10.1016/j.gene.2004.02.010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
033d2210-5fef-4f3e-84f6-bf142e62d4f0 (old id 275314)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:30:15
date last changed
2022-04-22 22:29:35
@article{033d2210-5fef-4f3e-84f6-bf142e62d4f0,
  abstract     = {{The evolution of the order Cetacea (whales, dolphins, porpoises) has, for a long time, attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists. Here we examine cetacean phylogenetic relationships on the basis of analyses of complete mitochondrial genomes that represent all extant cetacean families. The results suggest that the ancestors of recent cetaceans had an explosive evolutionary radiation 30-35 million years before present. During this period, extant cetaceans divided into the two primary groups, Mysticeti (baleen whales) and Odontoceti (toothed whales). Soon after this basal split, the Odontoceti diverged into the four extant lineages, sperm whales, beaked whales, Indian river dolphins and delphinoids (iniid river dolphins, narwhals/belugas, porpoises and true dolphins). The current data set has allowed test of two recent morphological hypotheses on cetacean origin. One of these hypotheses posits that Artiodactyla and Cetacea originated from the extinct group Mesonychia, and the other that Mesonychia/Cetacea constitutes a sister group to Artiodactyla. The current results are inconsistent with both these hypotheses. The findings suggest that the claimed morphological similarities between Mesonychia and Cetacea are the result of evolutionary convergence rather than common ancestry. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Arnason, Ulfur and Gullberg, Anette and Janke, Axel}},
  issn         = {{1879-0038}},
  keywords     = {{molecular tests of; cetancodonta; artiodactyla; whales; mesonychia; morphological hypotheses}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{27--34}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Gene}},
  title        = {{Mitogenomic analyses provide new insights into cetacean origin and evolution}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2004.02.010}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.gene.2004.02.010}},
  volume       = {{333}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}