Institute of Pest Management
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Browsing Institute of Pest Management by Subject "African mole-rats"
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Item Cladogenesis and endemism in Tanzanian mole-rats, genus Fukomys: (Rodentia: Bathyergidae): a role for tectonics?(2010) Faulkes, C.G; Mgode, G.F.; Le Comber, S.C.; Bennett, N.CAfrican mole-rats of the family Bathyergidae are subterranean hystricomorph rodents found throughout sub- Saharan Africa, where the distributional ranges of the most speciose taxa are divided by the African Rift Valley. In particular, mole-rats of the genera Heliophobius and Fukomys are distributed widely, and their adaptive radiation appears to have been strongly influenced by the geological process of rifting. As a result, virtually all members of the genus Fukomys occur in locations west of the Rift Valley. However, a small number of isolated populations occur east of the Rift Valley in Tanzania, where Heliophobius is widespread and is the predominant bathyergid rodent. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences of previously unstudied Tanzanian mole-rats (genus Fukomys) and geographically adjacent populations strongly suggests that vicariance in the Western Rift Valley has subdivided populations of mole-rats and, together with climatic changes, played a role in the isolation of extralimital populations of Fukomys in Tanzania. Together with molecular clock-based estimates of divergence times, these results offer strong support for the hypothesis that the observed patterns of cladogenesis are consistent with tectonic activity in the ‘Mbeya triple junction’ and Rungwe volcanic province between Lakes Rukwa and Nyasa.Item Relic populations of Fukomys mole- rats in Tanzania: description of two new species F. livingstoni sp. nov. and F. hanangensis sp. nov.(Faulkes / PeerJ, 2017-04-27) Faulkes, C. G.; Mgode, G. F.; Archer, E. K.; Bennett, N. C.Previous studies of African mole-rats of the genera Heliophobius and Fukomys (Bathy- ergidae) in the regions of East and south central Africa have revealed a diversity of species and vicariant populations, with patterns of distribution having been influenced by the geological process of rifting and changing patterns of drainage of major river systems. This has resulted in most of the extant members of the genus Fukomys being distributed west of the main Rift Valley. However, a small number of isolated popula- tions are known to occur east of the African Rift Valley in Tanzania, where Heliophobius is the most common bathyergid rodent. We conducted morphological, craniometric and phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) sequences of two allopatric populations of Tanzanian mole-rats (genus Fukomys) at Ujiji and around Mount Hanang, in comparison with both geographically adjacent and more distant populations of Fukomys. Our results reveal two distinct evolutionary lineages, forming clades that constitute previously unnamed species. Here, we formally describe and designate these new species F. livingstoni and F. hanangensis respectively. Molecular clock-based estimates of divergence times, together with maximum likelihood inference of biogeographic range evolution, offers strong support for the hypothesis that vicari- ance in the Western Rift Valley and the drainage patterns of major river systems has subdivided populations of mole-rats. More recent climatic changes and tectonic activity in the ‘‘Mbeya triple junction’’ and Rungwe volcanic province between Lakes Rukwa and Nyasa have played a role in further isolation of these extra-limital populations of Fukomys in Tanzania.