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Timing the origin of New World monkeys
Carlos G Schrago1, Claudia A M Russo
1Laboratorio Biodiversidade Molecular, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Molecular Biology and Evolution
|July 2, 2003
Summary
New World monkeys (Platyrrhini) originated around 35 million years ago, splitting from Old World monkeys (Catarrhini). This finding supports a transatlantic dispersal from Africa, aligning with fossil evidence.
Area of Science:
- Primate evolutionary biology
- Molecular phylogenetics
- Paleoanthropology
Background:
- The evolutionary origins and dispersal of New World monkeys (Infraorder Platyrrhini) remain a significant area of debate in primatology.
- Previous hypotheses regarding platyrrhine origins have lacked definitive molecular evidence, necessitating further phylogenetic analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the origin and divergence times of New World monkeys (Platyrrhini) using mitochondrial genome data.
- To estimate divergence times for key primate lineages, including hominoids and cercopithecoids, for robust phylogenetic calibration.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mitochondrial genomes from diverse primate species, including Cebus (Platyrrhini), hominoids, cercopithecoids, and Tarsius (outgroup).
- Application of two distinct molecular dating methodologies: likelihood ratio tests in Maximum Likelihood (ML) analyses and a multigene Bayesian approach.
- Utilized the Cercopithecoid-Hominoid split (25 million years ago) as a calibration point for divergence time estimations.
Main Results:
- Consistent estimates indicate that Platyrrhines diverged from Catarrhines approximately 35 million years ago.
- Estimated divergence times for other primate groups include Homo-Pan (5-7 MYA), Pongo-(Homo/Pan) (13-16 MYA), Hylobates-(Pongo/Homo/Pan) (15-19 MYA), and Macaca-Papio (10-12 MYA).
- The estimated origin of New World monkeys aligns with the fossil record's hypothesis of an African origin and subsequent transatlantic dispersal.
Conclusions:
- The study provides strong molecular evidence supporting a 35 MYA divergence for Platyrrhines from Catarrhines.
- Findings corroborate the hypothesis of a transatlantic migration event for the establishment of New World monkeys in South America.
- Molecular clock estimates offer critical insights into primate evolutionary history and biogeography.