Phylogenetic Analysis of Primate Mitochondrial Genomes
Summary
Phylogenetic analysis of primate mitochondrial genomes has become a cornerstone for reconstructing evolutionary relationships and divergence times across the order Primates. By sequencing complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or key mitochondrial loci such as cytochrome b, researchers have resolved deep nodes and finer taxonomic subdivisions among strepsirrhines, platyrrhines and catarrhines. High-throughput sequencing now enables rapid recovery of whole mitogenomes even from degraded or museum specimens, greatly enhancing taxon sampling. Mitogenomic phylogenies have revealed periods of rapid radiation close to the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary, clarified intergeneric relationships among colobines and cercopithecines, and provided robust age estimates for major splits such as the Strepsirrhini–Haplorrhini and Platyrrhini–Catarrhini divergences. Integration of mtDNA data with fossil calibrations and nuclear markers has furthered understanding of incomplete lineage sorting and ancient hybridisation events. These insights inform not only fundamental questions in primate evolution but also conservation strategies, by identifying cryptic lineages and patterns of gene flow that shape biodiversity today.
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Phylogenetic Analysis of Primate Mitochondrial Genomes publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in phylogenetic analysis of primate mitochondrial genomes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Mitogenome: The complete mitochondrial DNA sequence encoding genes for oxidative phosphorylation and ribosomal RNAs, widely used for phylogenetic inference.
Phylogenetic tree: A branching diagram that represents inferred evolutionary relationships among taxa, based on genetic or morphological data.
Incomplete lineage sorting (ILS): The persistence of ancestral genetic polymorphisms across successive speciation events, leading to discordant gene trees.
Introgression: The incorporation of genetic material from one lineage into another via hybridisation and backcrossing, detectable through discordant mitochondrial and nuclear signals.
Molecular clock: A method for estimating divergence times by assuming a roughly constant rate of sequence evolution calibrated with fossil or geological dates.
References
- Phylogenomics Reveals High Levels of Incomplete Lineage Sorting at the Ancestral Nodes of the Macaque Radiation. Molecular Biology and Evolution (2023).
- Phylogeography of the Sinica Group of Macaques in the Himalayas: Taxonomic and Evolutionary Implications. Biology (2024).
- A Mitogenomic Phylogeny of Living Primates. PLOS ONE (2013).
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