Mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence diversity in the Korean hare, Lepus coreanus Thomas (Mammalia, Lagomorpha)

Partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of the Korean hare (Lepus coreanus) were analyzed to determine the degree of genetic diversity. Nine haPlotyes were observed, and the maximum Tamura-Nei nucleotide distance among them was 2.8%, indicating that genetic diversity of L. coreanus is moderate. In order to clarify the Korean hare's taxonomic status and relationship with the Manchurian hare (L. mandshuricus) and the Chinese hare (L. sinensis), these nine haplotypes of the Korean hare were compared with 13 haplotypes from five other species of eastern Asian Lepus including L. mandshwicus and L. sinensis. The Korean hare was distinct in its cytochrome b gene, and it is confirmed that L. coreanus is a valid species, as noted by Jones and Johnson (1965, Univ. Kansas Publ. (Mus. Nat. Hist.) 16:357). Further analyses of mtDNA cytochrome b gene with additional specimens of L. coreanus from North Korea and other species of Lepus from eastern Asia are needed to clarify the taxonomic status of the divergent mtDNA clades of L. mandshuricus and L. sinensis.

Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of Lepus in Eastern Asia based on mitochondrial DNA sequences

In spite of several classification attempts among taxa of the genus Lepus, phylogenetic relationships still remain poorly understood. Here, we present molecular genetic evidence that may resolve some of the current incongruities in the phylogeny of the leporids. The complete mitochondrial cytb, 12S genes, and parts of ND4 and control region fragments were sequenced to examine phylogenetic relationships among Chinese hare taxa and other leporids throughout the World using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction approaches. Using reconstructed phylogenies, we observed that the Chinese hare is not a single monophyletic group as originally thought. Instead, the data infers that the genus Lepus is monophyletic with three unique species groups: North American, Eurasian, and African. Ancestral area analysis indicated that ancestral Lepus arose in North America and then dispersed into Eurasia via the Bering Land Bridge eventually extending to Africa. Brooks Parsimony analysis showed that dispersal events followed by subsequent speciation have occurred in other geographic areas as well and resulted in the rapid radiation and speciation of Lepus. A Bayesian relaxed molecular clock approach based on the continuous autocorrelation of evolutionary rates along branches estimated the divergence time between the three major groups within Lepus. The genus appears to have arisen approximately 10.76 MYA (+/- 0.86 MYA), with most speciation events occurring during the Pliocene epoch (5.65 +/- 1.15 MYA similar to 1.12 +/- 10.47 MYA). (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

云南兔(Lepus comus)的染色体研究

用染色体分带技术分析表明云南兔2n=48, 常染色体中有6对中着丝点染色体、5对亚中着丝 点染色体、10对亚端着丝粒染色体和2对端着丝粒染色体。x染色体为一较大的亚中着丝粒染色体。c-带核型中, Nos.9,14,16,20染色体着丝粒c-带呈阴性, 而13,15,18呈很弱的阳性 。图版1表2参22(邓琳珠)

兔属和盘羊属的分子进化研究

兔属物种的形态特征差异甚微，其分类地位长期存在争议。本研究论文来用线粒体DNA标记从分子水平对兔属物种的系统发育，分类地位以及历史生物地理学进行探讨。我们应用四个线粒体DNA标记：细胞色素b和125基因全序列，ND4和控制区部分序列构建中国野兔和世界范围内的其它兔属物种间的系统发育关系。系统发育关系的构建以鼠兔为外群，采用三种方法：最大简约法（淤），最大似然法（ML）和贝叶斯方法（Bl）。分析结果显示：中国野兔并不是一个单系群。世界范围内的兔属动物形成一个单系，并以地理分布可分为相应的三个种组：北美种组（NortoAmericanspeciesgroup），欧亚种组①urasionspeciesgroP）和非洲种组（S。uthAfricanspeciesgroup）。兔属动物鉴定的29个种可能多于该属的有效种。历史生物地理学的祖先地分析表明：兔属动物起源于北美大陆，通过白令大陆桥扩散到欧亚大陆，最后到达非洲大陆。Brooks简约分析（BPA）揭示兔属物种形成是在扩散事件之后，在不同的地理区域适应当时的生态环境导致种的发生。兔属动物经历了一个快速扩散和种发生的过程。贝叶斯放松分子钟方法估计种组内的分化时间显示：兔属物种的形成是在上新世早期（Plioceneepoch：4.29-5.39MyA）。云南兔（L.comusGAllen1927）是仅分布于云贵高原上的唯一一种兔属物种。我们应用线粒体DNA控制区第一高变区检测云南兔的群体遗传结构和系统地理结构模式，评价地理隔离，如高山、河流等对该物种的群体结构和系统地理模式的影响。分子变异分析显示（AMOVA）不同的地理区域间遗传差异明显，而且成对遗传差异与相应的地理距离成线性关系。错配核普酸分析（Mismatchanalysis）表明云南兔群体近期没有群体扩张。系统地理学的嵌套分析法揭示云南兔现有的群体遗传结构和遗传分化与云南高原复杂的地形地貌相关。高山、河流等地理隔离导致群体间有限的基因流形成了现有云南兔群体的分布。云南兔不同地理区域单倍型的分子系统分析以及明显的群体分化建议云南兔两个亚种的划分（L．c．comusandL．c．peni）。雪兔种组（thetimidusspeciescomplex）是生活于北半球高纬度区域的兔属物种。我们以该种组为模型，采用快速进化的mtDNA控制区序列对它们的系统地理结构进行比较研究。结果表明：雪兔种组以白令海峡为地理隔离存在显著的系变异为7．7％，变异范围从2．4％一11．5％。分子系统分析的最大简约树显示：来自乌孜别克斯坦的两个亚种（seertzoviandnikr枷ontana）首先发生遗传上的分化。之后盘羊祖先群体的扩散导致在中国某些地理区域可能有三个进化谱系的分化。盘羊祖先群体的扩散可能起始于亚洲大陆的西部通过中亚高原向南扩散。分布于中国的盘羊亚种中，阿尔金亚种（O.a.dalai-lamae）与西藏亚种（O.a.hodsoni）有着比蒙古亚种（aa．da附ino较近的系统进化关系。而来自乌孜别克斯坦的两个亚种（servertzoviandnigrimontana）与中国的盘羊亚种有着显著的遗传差异。

Stable carbon isotope analyses show dominance of C3 grasses in the feed selected by small herbivores at the alpine meadow at the Tibetan Plateau

Muscle samples were collected from small herbivorous mammals (Ochotona curzoniae, Microtus oecnomus, Myospalax fontanierii and Lepus oiostolus) at the alpine meadow ecosystem at the Tibetan Plateau in order to address variability in stable carbon isotope composition. Stable carbon isotope values of muscles remain steady and show no significant variations (-25.72 to -27.04 parts per thousand) among the four small mammal species. Based on the mass balance theory of stable isotopes, it is proposed that small herbivorous mammals mainly (or totally) rely on C3 grasses as food supply, and there is few or no distribution of C4 grasses at the ecosystem. The results reflect our previous study on the isotope patterns of plant species. Thus, stable carbon isotope analysis of muscles provides a method to address dietary selection and dietary variability in herbivores. In addition, stable carbon isotopic analyses can be used to address changes in vegetation distributions in ecosystem and paleovegetaion and paleoclimate.