Phylogenetic Relationships of Dasyuromorphian Marsupials Revisited

Authors

Michael Westerman, La Trobe University
Carey Krajewski, Southern Illinois University
Benjamin P. Kear, Uppsala University
Lucy Meehan, University of California Office of the President
Robert Meredith, Montclair State UniversityFollow
Christopher A. Emerling, University of California at Riverside
Mark S. Springer, University of California at Riverside

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2016

Journal / Book Title

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

Abstract

We reassessed the phylogenetic relationships of dasyuromorphians using a large molecular database comprising previously published and new sequences for both nuclear (nDNA) and mitochondrial (mtDNA) genes from the numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), most living species of Dasyuridae, and the recently extinct marsupial wolf, Thylacinus cynocephalus. Our molecular tree suggests that Thylacinidae is sister to Myrmecobiidae+Dasyuridae. We show robust support for the dasyurid intrafamilial classification proposed by Krajewski & Westerman as well as for placement of most dasyurid genera, which suggests substantial homoplasy amongst craniodental characters presently used to generate morphology-based taxonomies. Molecular dating with relaxed molecular clocks suggests that dasyuromorphian cladogenesis began in the Eocene, and that all three dasyuromorphian families originated prior to the end of this epoch. Radiation within Thylacinidae and Dasyuridae had occurred by the middle to late Oligocene, consistent with recognition of primitive thylacinids (e.g. Badjcinus turnbulli) in the later Oligocene and of putative dasyurids (e.g. Barinya wangala) by the early Miocene. We propose that all four extant dasyurid tribes were in existence by the early Miocene and that most modern dasyurid genera/species were established before the later Miocene. This is in marked contrast to the popularly accepted advocation of their origins in the latest Miocene-early Pliocene.

DOI

10.1111/zoj.12323

Montclair State University Digital Commons Citation

Westerman, Michael; Krajewski, Carey; Kear, Benjamin P.; Meehan, Lucy; Meredith, Robert; Emerling, Christopher A.; and Springer, Mark S., "Phylogenetic Relationships of Dasyuromorphian Marsupials Revisited" (2016). Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 391.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/biology-facpubs/391

Published Citation

Westerman, M., Krajewski, C., Kear, B.P., Meehan, L., Meredith, R.W., Emerling, C.A. and Springer, M.S. (2016), M. Westerman et al.. Zool J Linn Soc, 176: 686-701. https://doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12323