Morphometrics and genetics highlight the complex history of Eastern Mediterranean spiny mice

• Published in: Biological journal of the Linnean Society Vol. 130; no. 3; pp. 599 - 614
• Main Authors: Renaud, Sabrina, Hardouin, Emilie A, Chevret, Pascale, Papayiannis, Katerina, Lymberakis, Petros, Matur, Ferhat, Garcia-Rodriguez, Oxala, Andreou, Demetra, Çetintaş, Ortaç, Sözen, Mustafa, Hadjisterkotis, Eleftherios, Mitsainas, George P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: UK Oxford University Press 26.06.2020; Linnean Society of London
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Life Sciences; Populations and Evolution; Crete; molar shape; Cyprus; insular evolution; D-loop; geometric morphometrics; phylogeography; Acomys nesiotes; Acomys minous; Acomys cilicicus
• ISSN: 0024-4066; 1095-8312
• DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa063

Abstract Spiny mice of the Acomys cahirinus group display a complex geographical structure in the Eastern Mediterranean area, as shown by previous genetic and chromosomal studies. To better elucidate the evolutionary relationships between insular populations from Crete and Cyprus and continental populations from North Africa and Cilicia in Turkey, genetic and morphometric variations were investigated, based on mitochondrial D-loop sequences, and the size and shape of the first upper molar. The Cypriot and the Cilician populations show idiosyncratic divergence in molar size and shape, while Cretan populations present a geographical structure with at least three differentiated subpopulations, as shown by congruent distributions of haplogroups, Robertsonian fusions and morphometric variation. A complex history of multiple introductions is probably responsible for this structure, and insular isolation coupled with habitat shift should have further promoted a pronounced and rapid morphological evolution in molar size and shape on Crete and Cyprus.