Evolutionary Relationships Among Duiker Antelope (Bovidae: Cephalophinae)

<p>Duikers are a species rich subfamily of threatened African antelope whose recent origin poses a challenge to the molecular identification of taxa and estimation of their phylogeny. I test the ability of DNA barcodes to identify all taxa within this group. I then use mitochondrial and nuclear genes to estimate a multi-locus species tree and to date divergence times. DNA barcodes are unable to distinguish many sister taxa, calling into question the utility of barcodes for the regulation of duiker trade or in identification of field-collected feces. The multi-locus phylogeny provides support for the relationships among major duiker lineages and placement of two problematic taxa, but challenges the validity of the savanna genus and identifies hybridization between taxa. This study reveals that most duikers diverged during the Pleistocene, meriting further inquiry into the role that Pleistocene glacial cycling played in the diversification and population structuring of duikers.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biological Sciences

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Johnston, Anne

Contributors dc:contributor

• Anthony, Nicola
• Bell, Charles
• Grady, James

• Barcode
• Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1)
• Bushmeat, Pleistocene
• Phylogeny
• Africa
• Evolution

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1401

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uno.edu:td-1874