The genus Talpa is widely distributed throughout the Western Palaeartic region with nine species recognized, six of which occurring in Europe. Due to the subterranean life adaptations all the species are very similar and show high degree of morphological convergence. The phenotipic similarity led to some uncertainness on the taxonomic status and systematic relationships of some taxa and only genetic investigations allowed the evaluation of the specific status of the European species T. stankovici, formerly included in T. romana, and T. occidentalis, formerly considered a subspecies of T. caeca. The distribution pattern of Talpa species in Europe is characteristic. T. europea is widespread throughout the continent from the Urals to the Pyrenees. The blind mole, T. caeca, shows an apparent discontinuous distribution in southern Europe being reported both in Italian and Balkan Peninsulas. The three species T. romana, T. occidentalis and T. stankovici are endemic of the three European Peninsulas (respectively Italian, Iberian and Balkan). Finally, T. levantis is restricted to the south-easter Bulgaria and Turkey. The phylogenetic relationships among these taxa and the taxonomical status of some isolated population are still uncertain. We present results of molecular phylogeny of the six European species (T. romana, T. europea, T. occidentalis, T. caeca, T. stankovici and T. levantis) discuss their systematic relationships. Results shed some light on the evolutionary relationships among these species and suggest a monophyletic origin of the other western European moles, i.e. T. romana, T. europea, T. occidentalis, and T. caeca, with T. stankovici and T. levantis as sister species. Results also allow to hypothesize two different colonization route starting from Asia. A tentative of molecular clock is proposed to correlate the biogeographic pattern suggested by molecular data with available fossil records.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF THE EUROPEAN MOLES OF THE GENUS TALPA LINNAEUS, 1758: SYSTEMATIC AND BIOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS
PAOLO COLANGELO;
2007
Abstract
The genus Talpa is widely distributed throughout the Western Palaeartic region with nine species recognized, six of which occurring in Europe. Due to the subterranean life adaptations all the species are very similar and show high degree of morphological convergence. The phenotipic similarity led to some uncertainness on the taxonomic status and systematic relationships of some taxa and only genetic investigations allowed the evaluation of the specific status of the European species T. stankovici, formerly included in T. romana, and T. occidentalis, formerly considered a subspecies of T. caeca. The distribution pattern of Talpa species in Europe is characteristic. T. europea is widespread throughout the continent from the Urals to the Pyrenees. The blind mole, T. caeca, shows an apparent discontinuous distribution in southern Europe being reported both in Italian and Balkan Peninsulas. The three species T. romana, T. occidentalis and T. stankovici are endemic of the three European Peninsulas (respectively Italian, Iberian and Balkan). Finally, T. levantis is restricted to the south-easter Bulgaria and Turkey. The phylogenetic relationships among these taxa and the taxonomical status of some isolated population are still uncertain. We present results of molecular phylogeny of the six European species (T. romana, T. europea, T. occidentalis, T. caeca, T. stankovici and T. levantis) discuss their systematic relationships. Results shed some light on the evolutionary relationships among these species and suggest a monophyletic origin of the other western European moles, i.e. T. romana, T. europea, T. occidentalis, and T. caeca, with T. stankovici and T. levantis as sister species. Results also allow to hypothesize two different colonization route starting from Asia. A tentative of molecular clock is proposed to correlate the biogeographic pattern suggested by molecular data with available fossil records.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.