Evolutionary history and systematics of European blind mole rats (Rodentia: Spalacidae: Nannospalax): Multilocus phylogeny and species delimitation in a puzzling group

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107958
• Publication Date: 2023-11-01T00:14:36Z
• Authors: Attila Németh; Edvárd Mizsei; Levente Laczkó; Dávid Czabán; Zsolt Hegyeli; Szabolcs Lengyel; Gábor Csorba; Gábor Sramkó
• Keywords: Subspecies

Species delimitation is a powerful approach to assist taxonomic decisions in challenging taxa where species boundaries are hard establish. European of the blind mole rats (genus Nannospalax) display small morphological differences and complex chromosomal evolution at shallow evolutionary divergence level. Previous analyses led recognition 25 'forms' their distribution area. We provide comprehensive framework improve knowledge on history revise taxonomy based samples from all but three forms. sequenced two nuclear-encoded genetic regions whole mitochondrial cytochrome b gene for phylogenetic tree reconstructions using concatenation coalescence-based species-tree estimations. The confirmed that Aegean N. insularis belongs superspecies xanthodon, it represents second known this Europe. Mainland reached Europe Asia Minor colonisation events corresponding superspecies-level taxa: monticola (taxon established herewith) c. 2.1 million years ago (Mya) was followed by leucodon (re-defined 1.5 Mya. allowed clarification contents above superspecies. contains geographically confined western periphery rats, whereas more speciose with six several additional subspecies. observed geographic pattern hints robust peripatric speciation process rapid evolution. present treatment thus regarded as minimum content each lineage, which can be further refined other sources information such karyological traits, crossbreeding experiments, etc. models also hitherto unnamed rat taxon Albania, described here new