Abstract
The Ethiopian highlands represent a wide spectrum of ecological gradients that provide suitable conditions for gradient speciation. Previous studies support the gradient model of speciation for two Ethiopian shrew species: Crocidura thalia and C. glassi. Here, we aimed to elucidate for the first time the phylogenetic position of C. afeworkbekelei and to test the gradient model of speciation for these three species. On the basis of a dataset collected from the whole south slope of the Bale Mountains, we reconstructed phylogenetic relationships among these species using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Additionally, we examined shape and size differentiation of the skull and mandible. The molecular data revealed a similarity of the three species with lack of reciprocal monophyly among them. We demonstrated differences both in size and shape of the skull and mandible between low- and high-elevation forms albeit without a significant morphological hiatus. We identified the most changeable parts of the skull and mandible, which imply adaptive shifts in diet. We revealed the distribution, phylogenetic and morphological patterns that match predictions of the gradient model of speciation for three mammalian forms. Our data suggest intense processes of adaptation to the markedly different habitats along the considerable altitudinal gradient that fit the first stage of the gradient model of speciation. We believe that C. afeworkbekelei and C. thalia should be regarded as different ecotypes, and these species names must be reduced to junior synonyms of C. glassi.
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All data are available in the Section of Mammalogy of the Zoological Museum of Moscow University and the sequences obtained can be accessed via GenBank.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) №23-74-01098 (https://rscf.ru/en/project/23-74-01098/). The English language was corrected by shevchuk-editing.com.
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Russian Science Foundation (RSF) №23-74-01098 (https://rscf.ru/en/project/23-74-01098/).
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Conceptualization: Methodology: EDZ, LAL; Formal analysis and investigation: EDZ, AAM, VBS; Writing—original draft preparation: EDZ, AAM, LAL; Writing—review and editing: EDZ, LAL; Funding acquisition: EDZ; Supervision: LAL.
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42991_2024_428_MOESM2_ESM.jpg
Supplementary Fig. S2 The part of the phylogenetic tree (based on cytb) of Crocidura species endemic to Ethiopia, including C. glassi from the northern slope of the Bale Mountains (Dinsho area) and neighbouring Arsi Mountains (JPG 545 KB)
42991_2024_428_MOESM3_ESM.pdf
Supplementary Fig. S3 Median-joining networks of the nuclear genes. Circles represent alleles and with size proportional to the number of individuals sharing the same alleles. Circles are colored according to the alleles of the species: C. thalia: blue, C. glassi: green, C. afeworkbekelei: red. Hyphens show the amount of the nucleotide substitutions (PDF 184 KB)
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Zemlemerova, E.D., Martynov, A.A., Sycheva, V.B. et al. The usage of historical DNA and geometric morphometric approach for detecting the ecological diversification along a remarkable altitudinal gradient. Mamm Biol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00428-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-024-00428-0