Journal article

Phylogenetic evidence of historic mitochondrial introgression and cryptic diversity in the genus Pseudemoia (Squamata: Scincidae)

ML Haines, A Moussalli, D Stuart-Fox, N Clemann, J Melville

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | Published : 2014

Abstract

The Australian scincid genus Pseudemoia comprises six morphologically similar species restricted to temperate south-eastern Australia. Due to the high degree of morphological conservatism, phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status within the Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii complex (comprising the nominal species P. entrecasteauxii, P. cryodroma, and P. pagenstecheri) remains unresolved. To further investigate the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status of Pseudemoia spp., and to test the hypothesis that P. cryodroma evolved from hybridization between P. entrecasteauxii and P. pagenstecheri, we sequenced one mitochondrial locus (ND4) and five nuclear loci (β-globin, LGMN, PRLR, Rhodo..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

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Funding Acknowledgements

We thank V. Anthony, L Beilharz, R. Groenewegen, S. Heap, D. Hunter, K. Howard, S. Maldonado, G. Peterson, and M. Scroggie for assistance with specimen and tissue collection, and the Australian Museum, Museum Victoria, and South Australian Museum for tissue samples. We are grateful to J. Sumner for technical assistance, S. Singhal for supplying primer sequences, and M. Hutchinson, A. Hugall, and C. Schneider for insightful discussions. We thank Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort and the Department of Environment and Primary Industries for in-kind support. Funding was provided to MLH by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Foundation, Museum Victoria 1854 Student Scholarship, and Wildlife Foundation Society of Australia.