Phylogeny of the genus Apodemus with a special emphasis on the subgenus Sylvaemus using the nuclear IRBP gene and two mitochondrial markers: cytochrome b and 12S rRNA.

Phylogenetic relationships among 17 extant species of Murinae, with special reference to the genus Apodemus, were investigated using sequence data from the nuclear protein-coding gene IRBP (15 species) and the two mitochondrial genes cytochrome b and 12S rRNA (17 species). The analysis of the three genes does not resolve the relationships between Mus, Apodemus, and Rattus but separates Micromys from these three genera. The analysis of the two mitochondrial regions supported an association between Apodemus and Tokudaia and indicated that these two genera are more closely related to Mus than to Rattus or Micromys. Within Apodemus, the mitochondrial data sets indicated that 8 of the 9 species analyzed can be sorted into two main groups: an Apodemus group, with A. agrarius, semotus, and peninsulae, and a Sylvaemus group, with uralensis, flavicollis, alpicola, sylvaticus, and hermonensis. The position of Apodemus mystacinus is ambiguous and might be either included in Sylvaemus or considered a distinct subgenus, Karstomys, more closely related to Sylvaemus than to Apodemus. Estimation of the divergence time for these taxa suggests a separation between 7 and 8 My ago for the three groups (mystacinus and the two subgenera Apodemus and Sylvaemus). Within each subgenus, divergence times are between 5.4 and 6 My for Apodemus and between 2.2 and 3.5 My for Sylvaemus and mystacinus.

Michaux JR ，Chevret P ，Filippucci MG ，Macholan M ... -  《MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION》

Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of wood mice (genus Apodemus Kaup, 1829) based on complete mtDNA cytochrome b sequences, with emphasis on Chinese species.

Liu X ，Wei F ，Li M ，Jiang X ，Feng Z ，Hu J ... -  《MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION》

A molecular phylogenetic framework for the Ryukyu endemic rodents Tokudaia osimensis and Diplothrix legata.

Diplothrix legata and Tokudaia osimensis are rodent species endemic to the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa area) of the southern part of Japan. To place them within a phylogenetic framework of Asian rodent species, we examined the molecular relationships among these species and Apodemus, Micromys, Mus, and Rattus, using an analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1140 bp) and nuclear IRBP gene (782 bp) sequences. The results indicate that the four main murine genera and Tokudaia diverged at similar evolutionary times, namely at the time of the radiation of Murinae, 14 to 40 million years ago, depending on different concepts for the divergence times of Rattus and Mus. In contrast, Diplothrix separated from the Rattus group more recently. Our results indicate that D. legata and the Rattus group diverged at 20-30% of the divergence time of Rattus and Mus under the assumption of the molecular clock, suggesting that D. legata established its lineage at least by the beginning of the Pleistocene era. It is thus evident that the Okinawa area preserves rare indigenous species with various levels of genetic endemicity.

Suzuki H ，Tsuchiya K ，Takezaki N 《MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION》

A phylogenetic view on species radiation in Apodemus inferred from variation of nuclear and mitochondrial genes.

Serizawa K ，Suzuki H ，Tsuchiya K 《BIOCHEMICAL GENETICS》

[Sequencing of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene and reconstruction of the matriarchal relationships between wood and field mice of the genus Apodemus (Muridae, Rodentia)].

Chelomina GN ，Suzuki H ，Tsuchiya K ，Moriwaki K ，Liapunova EA ，Vorontsov NN ... -  《-》