Molecular systematics of the enigmatic 'phascolosoricine' marsupials of New Guinea

Abstract

Previous analyses of DNA sequences for mitochondrial cytochrome-b and 12S rRNA, along with the nuclear protamine P1 genes, suggested that the New Guinean dasyurid genera Phascolosorex and Neophascogale (phascolosoricines) form the sister groups of quolls (Dasyurus) and Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus). This runs counter to a common perception that phascolosoricines are anatomically primitive and only distantly related to other dasyurids. We report the DNA sequences of two additional mitochondrial loci (tRNAVal and 16S rRNA) and nuclear loci (interphotoreceptor binding protein exon 1, beta-fibrinogen intron 7) from Phascolosorex dorsalis, Neophascogale lorentzii, and all but three other dasyurid species. These sequences, along with those previously published, comprise a dataset of 7053 nucleotides. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that phascolosoricines form a clade that is highly resolved as sister to Dasyurus + Sarcophilus. This result is obtained independently by mitochondrial and nuclear genes, and cannot be attributed to taxon- or gene-sampling bias, compositional heterogeneity, or the use of overly simplistic phylogenetic estimation procedures. A re-evaluation of published morphological data bearing on the relationships of phascolosoricines demonstrates that, although the conflict with molecular results is significant, it is limited to a small number of correlated dental features that show considerable homoplasy in their evolution.

Phylogenetic relationships of dasyuromorphian marsupials revisited

“…Within the latter genus, the northern quoll ( Dasyurus hallucatus ) is clearly divergent from all others and Dasyurus maculatus is sister to a clade containing Dasyurus viverrinus , Dasyurus albopunctatus , Dasyurus geoffroii , and Dasyurus spartacus – as also suggested by Krajewski et al . (). Our expanded data set indicates with 100% bootstrap support that Dasyurus albopunctatus is sister to the other species in this group and that Dasyurus viverrinus is sister to Dasyurus geoffroii plus Dasyurus spartacus .…”

“…Krajewski et al . (, , ) and Westerman, Young & Krajewski () subsequently explored genus‐level affinities within Dasyuridae via extended mitochondrial ( cytb , 12S rRNA , tRNA valine + 16S rRNA ) and nuclear [ ProtP1 , interphotoreceptor binding protein exon 1 ( IBRP ), and beta‐fibrinogen intron 7 ( bfib7 )] gene sequences. Their results variously confirmed the monophyly of the dasyurin genus Pseudantechinus (including Pseudantechinus bilarni ), the sister placement of Neophascogale + Phascolosorex (‘Phascolosoricinae’ sensu Archer, , ) and Dasyurus + Sarcophilus , as well as the close relationship between Dasycercus and Dasyuroides .…”

A multilocus coalescent analysis of the speciational history of the Australo-Papuan butcherbirds and their allies

“…Similar factors cannot be ruled out in the case of the early divergence between New Guinean Peltops and mostly Australian-centred Strepera plus Cracticus lineage (17-28 Ma). That case could be interpreted to support the hypothesis that rainforest-inhabiting lineages were able to persist in isolation on the proto-New Guinean islands prior to the formation of the current New Guinean landmass 2-5 Ma (Joseph et al, 2001;Krajewski et al, 2004;Westerman et al, 2006;Roelants et al, 2007;Malekian et al, 2010;Macqueen et al, 2010;JØnsson et al, 2011;Toon et al, 2012).…”

“…Recent attempts using time-calibrated phylogenies have supported the hypothesis that increasing aridity from 25 Ma allowed the diversification of arid-adapted lineages in Australia (e.g. Crisp et al, 2004;Meredith et al, 2008;Fujita et al, 2010;Pepper et al, 2011;Toon et al, 2012), and that the proto-New Guinean islands supported biota prior to the formation of the New Guinean landmass (Joseph et al, 2001Krajewski et al, 2004;Westerman et al, 2006;Roelants et al, 2007;Malekian et al, 2010;Macqueen et al, 2010;Jønsson et al, 2011;Toon et al, 2012). However, there are still too few studies incorporating multilocus datasets and complete sampling of extant taxa and key geographic regions (e.g.…”

Pleistocene-dated biogeographic barriers drove divergence within the Australo-Papuan region in a sex-specific manner: an example in a widespread Australian songbird

“…This accords with their current classification as C. h. superciliosa and suggests they maintained male-mediated gene flow during the LGM across then-exposed savannah woodlands and grasslands (Nix and Kalma 1972;Williams et al 2009). Grey shrike-thrush currently inhabit savannah areas within PNG and relatively shallow divergence across Torres Strait has been repeatedly observed in savannahadapted species (Keighley et al 2019;Murphy et al 2007;Toon et al 2017;Williams et al 2008;Wüster et al 2005) compared with deeper divergence observed in mesic closed forest-adapted species (Joseph et al 2001;Kearns et al 2011;Krajewski et al 2004;Macqueen et al 2011Macqueen et al , 2010Norman et al 2007;Rawlings and Donnellan 2003;Zwiers et al 2008). A mitochondrial lineage unique to the Trans-Fly was estimated to have diverged from mainland Australian and east PNG lineages 0.38-0.76 Ma.…”