Phylogenetic history of golden moles and tenrecs (Mammalia: Afrotheria)

Abstract

We conducted a phylogenetic analysis of genetic and anatomical data focusing on golden moles (Chrysochloridae) and tenrecs (Tenrecidae). Our results support the now well-resolved topology for extant tenrecids, in addition to the paraphyly of ‘Chrysochlorinae’ and the genera Chrysochloris and Chlorotalpa as traditionally used. Carpitalpa arendsi is the sister taxon to Neamblysomus; together, they compose the sister clade of Amblysomus. Unexpectedly, Calcochloris obtusirostris is the sister taxon of Chrysospalax. The oldest divergence within crown Chrysochloridae is likely to be the node separating Eremitalpa–Huetia or Eremitalpa alone from the remaining species. A Chrysochloris–Cryptochloris root appears most frequently under equally weighted parsimony or with few or no sampled tenrecids, suggesting that it is artefactual. The tropical genus Huetia is among the most widely distributed and anatomically polymorphic in our sample. Eremitalpa and Huetia have a relatively unspecialized hyoid apparatus and short angular process of the dentary. These elements in Huetia show a particular resemblance to those of the Namibian fossil Namachloris, which we reconstruct as a stem chrysochlorid. Crown chrysochlorids are geologically younger than crown tenrecids and probably diversified in the Miocene around the same time as the tenrecid genus Microgale. Fossils of both groups from Eocliff in Namibia are probably late Eocene to early Miocene in age.