Dissertation Research: A Phylogenetic Assessment of Biogeography and Character Evolution in the Mammalian Subfamily Antelopinae

9423684将利用DNA序列数据建立哺乳动物Antelopinae亚科(偶蹄目：牛科)内的Templeton系统发育关系。由此得到的分支图将与现代比较方法结合使用，以解决先前提出的关于羚羊进化的系统、生物地理学和适应性假说。具体目标包括：1)在几个等级水平上进行单调性测试，包括Antelopinae亚科、Antilopini部落和Neotragini部落以及Gazella属的单系；2)确定有争议的亚洲盘羊属和Saiga属相对于多个牛外类群的位置；3)确定Antelopinae的地理起源和非洲与欧亚大陆之间的迁徙方向；以及4)测试假设，即雌性羚羊中的角只出现一个，是对混合性别群体生活的适应。这项研究将使用系统发育框架重新评估当前的羚羊进化理论。这项研究解决了哺乳动物生物地理学和适应方面长期存在的问题。***

9423684 Templeton Phylogenetic relationships within the mammalian subfamily Antelopinae (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) will be established using DNA sequence data. The resulting cladogram will then be used in conjunction with modern comparative methods to address previously proposed systematic, biogeographic and adaptationalist hypotheses about antelope evolution. Specific objectives include: 1) testing monophyly at several hierarchical levels including monophyly of the subfamily Antelopinae, the tribes Antilopini and Neotragini, and the genus Gazella, 2) determining the position of the controversial Asian genus Panthalops and Saiga relative to multiple bovid outgroups, 3) determining the geographic origin of the Antelopinae and the direction of migration between Africa and Eurasia, and 4) testing hypotheses that the presence of horns in females arose one and is an adaptation for life in mixed sex herds. %%% This study will re-evaluate current theories of antelope evolution using a phylogenetic framework. The research addresses long standing problems in mammalian biogeography and adaptation. ***