How many species of Paradoxurus civets are there? New insights from India and Sri Lanka. (3rd November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Veron, Géraldine; Patou, Marie‐Lilith; Tóth, Mária; Goonatilake, Manori; Jennings, Andrew P.
• Is Part Of: Journal of zoological systematics and evolutionary research. Volume 53:Number 2(2015:May)
• Page Start: 161
• Page End: 174
• Publication Date: 2014-11-03
• Subjects: Animals -- Classification -- Periodicals; Zoology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 578.012
• DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12085
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0947-5745

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jzs12085-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Using molecular data and morphological features, we investigated the species limits and genetic diversity among populations of the Asian palm civets of the genus <italic>Paradoxurus</italic>. Our main objectives were to determine the number of species within <italic>Paradoxurus hermaphroditus</italic> and to test the validity of the newly proposed species within <italic>Paradoxurus zeylonensis</italic>. Fragments of two mitochondrial (Cytochrome b, Control Region) and one nuclear (intron 7 of the beta fibrinogen) markers were sequenced from 128 individuals of <italic>P. hermaphroditus</italic>, <italic> P. zeylonensis</italic> and <italic>Paradoxurus jerdoni</italic>. DNA sequences were analysed using phylogenetic and haplotype network methods. Our analyses confirmed that <italic>P. hermaphroditus</italic> comprises three major clades, which should be recognized as separate species: <italic>P. hermaphroditus</italic> (Indian and Indochinese regions), <italic>Paradoxurus musangus</italic> (mainland Southeast Asia, Sumatra, Java and other small Indonesian islands) and <italic>Paradoxurus philippinensis</italic> (Mentawai Islands, Borneo and the Philippines). Furthermore, we have proposed that there are two subspecies within both <italic>P. musangus</italic> and <italic>P. philippinensis</italic>, and there might be at least two or three subspecies within <italic>P. hermaphroditus</italic>. We found a very low genetic diversity and no geographical structure within <italic>P. zeylonensis</italic> and did not find any support for splitting <italic>P. zeylonensis</italic> into several species nor subspecies. Finally, we confirmed that <italic>P. jerdoni</italic> and <italic>P. zeylonensis</italic> are sister species.</p> </abstract>