Systematic relationships of the bushy-tailed and black-footed mongooses (genus Bdeogale, Herpestidae, Carnivora) based on molecular, chromosomal and morphological evidence

Abstract

The relationships within the mongooses (Herpestidae) have been recently reconsidered on the basis of molecular data. However, these studies failed to completely resolve the relationships within the subfamily Herpestinae. Moreover, the species of the genus Bdeogale have not been included in previous studies. Three genes were sequenced, Cytochrome b, ND2 and Transthyretin intron I, for 20 species of Herpestidae. The results show that the Herpestidae form two clades, corresponding to the traditional Herpestinae and Mungotinae, but with Cynictis included in the former rather than the latter. Within the Herpestinae, the genus Herpestes is not monophyletic. A newly proposed clade groups Bdeogale, Cynictis, Ichneumia and Rynchogale. Some morphological and karyological characters were mapped on the trees so as to characterize the newly defined molecular groups.