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Pinniped phylogeny and a new hypothesis for their origin and dispersal

Arnason, Ulfur LU ; Gullberg, Anette LU ; Janke, Axel LU ; Kullberg, Morgan LU ; Lehman, Niles ; Petrov, Evgeny A. and Vainola, Risto (2006) In Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 41(2). p.345-354
Abstract
The relationships and the zoogeography of the three extant pinniped families, Otariidae (sea lions and fur seals), Odobenidae (one extant species, the walrus), and Phocidae (true seals), have been contentious. Here, we address these topics in a molecular study that includes all extant species of true seals and sea lions, four fur seals and the walrus. Contrary to prevailing morphological views the analyses conclusively showed monophyletic Pinnipedia with a basal split between Otarioidea (Otariidae + Odobenidae) and Phocidae. The northern fur seal was the sister to all remaining otariids and neither sea lions nor arctocephaline fur seals were recognized as monophyletic entities. The basal Phocidae split between Monachinae (monk seals and... (More)
The relationships and the zoogeography of the three extant pinniped families, Otariidae (sea lions and fur seals), Odobenidae (one extant species, the walrus), and Phocidae (true seals), have been contentious. Here, we address these topics in a molecular study that includes all extant species of true seals and sea lions, four fur seals and the walrus. Contrary to prevailing morphological views the analyses conclusively showed monophyletic Pinnipedia with a basal split between Otarioidea (Otariidae + Odobenidae) and Phocidae. The northern fur seal was the sister to all remaining otariids and neither sea lions nor arctocephaline fur seals were recognized as monophyletic entities. The basal Phocidae split between Monachinae (monk seals and southern true seals) and Phocinae (northern true seals) was strongly supported. The phylogeny of the Phocinae suggests that the ancestors of Cystophora (hooded seal) and the Phocini (e.g. harp seal, ringed seal) adapted to Arctic conditions and ice-breeding before 12 MYA (million years ago) as supported by the white natal coat of these lineages. The origin of the endemic Caspian and Baikal seals was dated well before the onset of major Pleistocene glaciations. The current findings, together with recent advances in pinniped paleontology, allow the proposal of a new hypothesis for pinniped origin and early dispersal. The hypothesis posits that pinnipeds originated on the North American continent with early otarioid and otariid divergences taking place in the northeast Pacific and those of the phocids in coastal areas of southeast N America for later dispersal to colder environments in the N Atlantic and the Arctic Basin, and in Antarctic waters. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
mitogenomics, Pinnipedia, phylogeny, evolution, biogeography
in
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
volume
41
issue
2
pages
345 - 354
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000241460000009
  • scopus:33749079145
ISSN
1095-9513
DOI
10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.022
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e8a655bb-97b1-495e-ab56-28d897f7c821 (old id 386660)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:58:19
date last changed
2022-04-21 00:30:55
@article{e8a655bb-97b1-495e-ab56-28d897f7c821,
  abstract     = {{The relationships and the zoogeography of the three extant pinniped families, Otariidae (sea lions and fur seals), Odobenidae (one extant species, the walrus), and Phocidae (true seals), have been contentious. Here, we address these topics in a molecular study that includes all extant species of true seals and sea lions, four fur seals and the walrus. Contrary to prevailing morphological views the analyses conclusively showed monophyletic Pinnipedia with a basal split between Otarioidea (Otariidae + Odobenidae) and Phocidae. The northern fur seal was the sister to all remaining otariids and neither sea lions nor arctocephaline fur seals were recognized as monophyletic entities. The basal Phocidae split between Monachinae (monk seals and southern true seals) and Phocinae (northern true seals) was strongly supported. The phylogeny of the Phocinae suggests that the ancestors of Cystophora (hooded seal) and the Phocini (e.g. harp seal, ringed seal) adapted to Arctic conditions and ice-breeding before 12 MYA (million years ago) as supported by the white natal coat of these lineages. The origin of the endemic Caspian and Baikal seals was dated well before the onset of major Pleistocene glaciations. The current findings, together with recent advances in pinniped paleontology, allow the proposal of a new hypothesis for pinniped origin and early dispersal. The hypothesis posits that pinnipeds originated on the North American continent with early otarioid and otariid divergences taking place in the northeast Pacific and those of the phocids in coastal areas of southeast N America for later dispersal to colder environments in the N Atlantic and the Arctic Basin, and in Antarctic waters. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Arnason, Ulfur and Gullberg, Anette and Janke, Axel and Kullberg, Morgan and Lehman, Niles and Petrov, Evgeny A. and Vainola, Risto}},
  issn         = {{1095-9513}},
  keywords     = {{mitogenomics; Pinnipedia; phylogeny; evolution; biogeography}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{345--354}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution}},
  title        = {{Pinniped phylogeny and a new hypothesis for their origin and dispersal}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.022}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.022}},
  volume       = {{41}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}