Systematics of Enigmatic Canids: A Phylogenetic Analysis

尽管有许多系统的研究， 犬科中的许多物种仍然没有得到解决。 两个持续存在分歧的领域是类人猿物种（在 属犬，Cuon，Lycaon和Speothos）和南部 美国种（5-7属）。 两组人一起 包括大约20种，或超过一半的物种在 犬科 以前的工作基于形态学，等位酶 变异和细胞核学未能提供一致的 这些分类群之间关系的图片。 在很大程度上， 缺乏成功的分子分析是由于关闭 许多物种之间的关系。 之间的关联 这种密切相关的分类群最好用更精细的尺度来研究 分子分析，如基于线粒体DNA的分析 序列数据 在这里，建议测试几个具体的 关于这些分类群的系统学的假设， 系统发育分析约850个碱基对的 聚合酶链式反应获得的线粒体DNA序列 基因组DNA的扩增（PCR）。 因为线粒体 哺乳动物的DNA序列进化很快（比哺乳动物快5-10倍）。 平均核序列），它特别适合于 对密切相关物种的研究。 许多犬科动物 物种一直是食肉动物比较研究的焦点 行为，从而解决他们的关系将 阐明祖先对观察到的 模式.

Despite numerous systematic studies, the relationships among many species within the dog family Canidae remain unresolved. Two areas of continued disagreement are the wolf-like species (in the genera Canis, Cuon,Lycaon, and Speothos) and the South American species (in 5-7 genera). Together the two groups include some 20 species, or more than half of those within the family Canidae. Previous work based on morphology, allozyme variation, and karyology have failed to provide a consistent picture of relationships among these taxa. In large part, the lack of success of the molecular analyses was due to the close relationships among many of these species. Associations among such closely related taxa are best studied with more fine-scale molecular analyses, such as those based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Here, it is proposed to test several specific hypotheses concerning the systematics of these taxa using phylogenetic analysis of approximately 850 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA sequence obtained by polymerase chain amplification (PCR) of genomic DNA. Because the mitochondrial DNA sequence of mammals evolves quickly (5-10 times faster than the average nuclear sequence), it is particularly appropriate for the study of closely related species. Many of these canid species have been the focus of comparative studies of carnivore behavior and thus resolution of their relationships will illuminate the potential effects of ancestry on observed patterns.