Paleogenetic Analyses Reveal Unsuspected Phylogenetic Affinities between Mice and the Extinct Malpaisomys insularis, an Endemic Rodent of the Canaries

2012/02/21 by Marie Pagès, Pascale Chevret, Muriel Gros‐Balthazard +6 · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Mathematics · Social Sciences · #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Morphological variations and asymmetry #Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology #Phylogenetic tree #Biology #Clade #Lineage (genetic) #Rodent #Archipelago #Evolutionary biology #Phylogenetics #Zoology #Molecular phylogenetics #Genetics #Ecology #Gene

paper · pdf · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031123

openalex publication_date 2012/02/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The lava mouse, Malpaisomys insularis, was endemic to the Eastern Canary islands and became extinct at the beginning of the 14(th) century when the Europeans reached the archipelago. Studies to determine Malpaisomys' phylogenetic affinities, based on morphological characters, remained inconclusive because morphological changes experienced by this insular rodent make phylogenetic investigations a real challenge. Over 20 years since its first description, Malpaisomys' phylogenetic position remains enigmatic. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we resolved this issue using molecular characters. Mitochondrial and nuclear markers were successfully amplified from subfossils of three lava mouse samples. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions revealed, without any ambiguity, unsuspected relationships between Malpaisomys and extant mice (genus Mus, Murinae). Moreover, through molecular dating we estimated the origin of the Malpaisomys/mouse clade at 6.9 Ma, corresponding to the maximal age at which the archipelago was colonised by the Malpaisomys ancestor via natural rafting. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study reconsiders the derived morphological characters of Malpaisomys in light of this unexpected molecular finding. To reconcile molecular and morphological data, we propose to consider Malpaisomys insularis as an insular lineage of mouse.

Citations

• Evidence for a second western Palaearctic seabird extinction during the last Millennium: the Lava Shearwater Puffinus olsoni
• Divergence dates for Malagasy lemurs estimated from multiple gene loci: geological and evolutionary context
• Parallel evolution in molar outline of murine rodents: the case of the extinct Malpaisomys insularis (Eastern Canary Islands)
• Phylogeny and biogeography of African Murinae based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences, with a new tribal classification of the subfamily
• Pliocene colonization and adaptive radiations in Australia and New Guinea (Sahul): Multilocus systematics of the old endemic rodents (Muroidea: Murinae)
• The Pattern and Timing of Diversification of Philippine Endemic Rodents: Evidence from Mitochondrial and Nuclear Gene Sequences
• Evolutionary History of the Most Speciose Mammals: Molecular Phylogeny of Muroid Rodents
• Phylogeny and Divergence-Date Estimates of Rapid Radiations in Muroid Rodents Based on Multiple Nuclear Genes
• Bayes Factors

Cited by

• Molecular phylogeny of South‐East Asian arboreal murine rodents
• Lava mouse [wikipedia]

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