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Phylogeny of Snub-Nosed Monkeys Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA, Cytochrome B, and 12S rRNA Sequences

Li, Ming; Huang, C; Pan, R; De Ruiter, J.R.

Authors

Ming Li

C Huang

R Pan

J.R. De Ruiter



Abstract

Snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus spp.) are confined to isolated mountainous regions in China and North Vietnam. Their systematic classification and phylogenetic relationship has been controversial. The structures of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b and 12S rRNA show that the 4 species of Rhinopithecus are quite different from other colobines. It is reasonable to regard them as an independent genus, as determined by external features, morphometric characters and behavior. However, whether or not there should be a subdivision between the Vietnamese and Chinese species at the subgeneric level remains to be clarified; more evidence from a large range of Asian colobine species is needed. The Guizhou species, Rhinopithecus brelichi, is a valid species, which is more closely related to Pygathrix than the other species ( R. roxellana, R. bieti and R. avunculus) are. Results also indicate that 3 species—Rhinopithecus roxellana, R. bieti and R. avunculus—might have diverged from R. brelichi, but the phylogenetic relationship of R. avunculus is not clear.

Citation

Li, M., Huang, C., Pan, R., & De Ruiter, J. (2004). Phylogeny of Snub-Nosed Monkeys Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA, Cytochrome B, and 12S rRNA Sequences. International Journal of Primatology, 25(4), 861-873. https://doi.org/10.1023/b%3Aijop.0000029126.27618.88

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Aug 1, 2004
Deposit Date Mar 26, 2008
Journal International Journal of Primatology
Print ISSN 0164-0291
Electronic ISSN 1573-8604
Publisher Springer
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 25
Issue 4
Pages 861-873
DOI https://doi.org/10.1023/b%3Aijop.0000029126.27618.88
Keywords Snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus), Mitochondrial DNA, Cytochrome b gene, 12S rRNA gene, Molecular phylogeny.