Molecular phylogeny of the genus Saguinus (Platyrrhini, Primates) based on the ND1 mitochondrial gene and implications for conservation

Abstract

The systematics of the subfamily Callitrichinae (Platyrrhini, Primates), a group of small monkeys from South America and Panama, remains an area of considerable discussion despite many investigations, there being continuing controversy over subgeneric taxonomic classifications based on morphological characters. The purpose of our research was to help elucidate the phylogenetic relationships within the monkey genus Saguinus (Callitrichinae) using a molecular approach to discover whether or not the two different sections containing hairy-faced and bare-faced species are monophyletic, whether Saguinus midas midas and Saguinus bicolor are more closely related than are S. midas midas and Saguinus midas niger, and if Saguinus fuscicollis melanoleucus and Saguinus fuscicollis weddelli really are different species. We sequenced the 957 bp ND1 mitochondrial gene of 21 Saguinus monkeys (belonging to six species and nine morphotypes) and one Cebus monkey (the outgroup) and constructed phylogenetic trees using maximum parsimony, neighbor joining, and maximum likelihood methods. The phylogenetic trees obtained divided the genus Saguinus into two groups, one containing the small-bodied species S. fuscicollis and the other, the large-bodied species S. mystax, S. leucopus, S. oedipus, S. midas, S. bicolor. The most derived taxa, S. midas and S. bicolor, grouped together, while S. fuscicollis melanoleucus and S. f. weddelli showed divergence values that did not support the division of these morphotypes into subspecies. On the other hand, S. midas individuals showed divergence compatible with the existence of three subspecies, two of them with the same morphotype as the subspecies S. midas niger. The results of our study suggest that there is at least one Saguinus subspecies that has not yet been described and that the conservation status of Saguinus species and subspecies should be carefully revised using modern molecular approaches.

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“…Again, constraining S. midas to be sister group of S. bicolor, as suggested by Canavez et al (1999), produced a highly significant drop in the likelihood of 77.18821 (p < 0.01), rejecting the proposal of these authors. Previously, Tagliaro et al (2005) using ND1 mitochondrial DNA data, reached the same conclusions as those of our D-loop analysis, and attributed that incongruity to the conservative nature of the nuclear DNA sequence (900 base pairs from exons 1, 2 and 3 of the β2-microglobulin gene) used by Canavez et al (1999).…”

A molecular phylogeny of the tamarins (genusSaguinus) based on five nuclear sequence data from regions containingAluinsertions

“…The fourth lineage was formed by a single taxon, S. leucopus, in a distinct clade, well differentiated from all other forms, including the other members of the oedipus species group. Tagliaro et al 2005 obtained similar results using the ND1 gene. Araripe et al 2008 also recorded relatively high genetic divergence (around 2% vs. \1% in all other intraspecific comparisons) between their two specimens of S. imperator, suggesting the existence of distinct species.…”

“…Most of the other species are allocated to the two groups of the bare-face section-the bicolor group (S. bicolor and S. martinsi) and the oedipus group (S. oedipus, S. geoffroyi, and S. leucopus). The mottledface section includes a single species, S. inustus.While this arrangement appears to be the most coherent interpretation of the external morphology and geographic distribution of the different forms, studies of dental morphology (Natori and Hanihara, 1992) and genetics (Cropp et al, 1999;Tagliaro et al, 2005;Araripe et al, 2008;Matauschek et al, 2011) …”

“…In particular, phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial control region and cytochrome b (Cropp et al, 1999;Matauschek et al, 2011), ND1 (Tagliaro et al, 2005) and rRNA 16S genes (Araripe et al, 2008), and the nuclear b2-microglobulin gene (Canavez et al, 1999) have not only confirmed the monophyletic status of the genus, but have also indicated the existence of two main clades, based on body size, rather than external morphology. The small-bodied clade corresponds to the nigricollis group (adult body weight typically \450 g), whereas all the other species are grouped in the largebodied clade (body weight [450 g).…”

Filogenia da tribo Callitrichini Thomas, 1903 (Primates, Platyrrhini, Callitrichinae), com base em caracteres morfológicos

“…A escolha dos demais grupos externos teve como objetivo incluir um Cebinae (considerado grupoirmão de Callitrichinae), representado por Samiri ustus, e pelo menos uma espécie dos outros gêneros de Callitrichinae. Duas espécies de Saguinus, S. fuscicollis weddelli e S. midas midas que diferem consideravelmente no tamanho e representam clados distintos das radiações do grupo (Tagliaro et al 2005, Matauschek et al 2011 foram incluídas pelo fato do gênero ser o mais diverso de Callitrichinae (Hershkovitz 1977 (Rosenberger e Coimbra-Filho 1984). Tabela 3.1.…”