Museomics of tree squirrels: a dense taxon sampling of mitogenomes reveals hidden diversity, phenotypic convergence, and the need of a taxonomic overhaul

• Published in: BMC ecology and evolution Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 1 - 25
• Main Authors: de Abreu-Jr, Edson Fiedler, Pavan, Silvia E., Tsuchiya, Mirian T. N., Wilson, Don E., Percequillo, Alexandre R., Maldonado, Jesús E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 26.06.2020; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Collections; Datasets; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA sequencing; Ethanol; Evolution; Genera; Genes; Genomes; Genomics; Historical DNA; Hypotheses; Missing data; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial DNA; Morphology; Museums; Negligence; Neotropical region; Next-generation sequencing; Phenotypic variations; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Premolars; Regression analysis; Rodents; Sampling; Sciuridae; Sciurus; Squirrels; Success; Systematics; Taxa; Taxonomy; Transfer RNA; Trees; South America; Ecuador; Colombia; Panama; Brazil; Australia; North America

Tree squirrels (Sciuridae, Sciurini), in particular the highly diverse Neotropical lineages, are amongst the most rapidly diversifying branches of the mammal tree of life but also some of the least known. Negligence of this group by systematists is likely a product of the difficulties in assessing m...