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A mitogenomic timetree for Darwin’s enigmatic South American mammal Macrauchenia patachonica

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Westbury

    (University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology)

  • Sina Baleka

    (University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology)

  • Axel Barlow

    (University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology)

  • Stefanie Hartmann

    (University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology)

  • Johanna L.A. Paijmans

    (University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology)

  • Alejandro Kramarz

    (CONICET and Sección Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’)

  • Analía M Forasiepi

    (IANIGLA, CCT-CONICET Mendoza)

  • Mariano Bond

    (CONICET and División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n°)

  • Javier N. Gelfo

    (CONICET and División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n°)

  • Marcelo A. Reguero

    (CONICET and División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n°)

  • Patricio López-Mendoza

    (ARQMAR, Center for Maritime Archeology Research of the South Eastern Pacific)

  • Matias Taglioretti

    (Museo Municipal de Ciencias Naturales ‘Lorenzo Scaglia’)

  • Fernando Scaglia

    (Museo Municipal de Ciencias Naturales ‘Lorenzo Scaglia’)

  • Andrés Rinderknecht

    (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural)

  • Washington Jones

    (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural)

  • Francisco Mena

    (Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia)

  • Guillaume Billet

    (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CR2P (CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, Sorbonne-Université))

  • Christian de Muizon

    (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CR2P (CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, Sorbonne-Université))

  • José Luis Aguilar

    (Museo Paleontológico de San Pedro ‘Fray Manuel de Torres’)

  • Ross D.E. MacPhee

    (American Museum of Natural History)

  • Michael Hofreiter

    (University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology)

Abstract

The unusual mix of morphological traits displayed by extinct South American native ungulates (SANUs) confounded both Charles Darwin, who first discovered them, and Richard Owen, who tried to resolve their relationships. Here we report an almost complete mitochondrial genome for the litoptern Macrauchenia. Our dated phylogenetic tree places Macrauchenia as sister to Perissodactyla, but close to the radiation of major lineages within Laurasiatheria. This position is consistent with a divergence estimate of ∼66 Ma (95% credibility interval, 56.64–77.83 Ma) obtained for the split between Macrauchenia and other Panperissodactyla. Combined with their morphological distinctiveness, this evidence supports the positioning of Litopterna (possibly in company with other SANU groups) as a separate order within Laurasiatheria. We also show that, when using strict criteria, extinct taxa marked by deep divergence times and a lack of close living relatives may still be amenable to palaeogenomic analysis through iterative mapping against more distant relatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Westbury & Sina Baleka & Axel Barlow & Stefanie Hartmann & Johanna L.A. Paijmans & Alejandro Kramarz & Analía M Forasiepi & Mariano Bond & Javier N. Gelfo & Marcelo A. Reguero & Patricio López, 2017. "A mitogenomic timetree for Darwin’s enigmatic South American mammal Macrauchenia patachonica," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15951
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15951
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