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The Effects of Cenozoic Global Change on Squirrel Phylogeny
John M. Mercer,V. Louise Roth
By modifying habitats and creating bridges and
barriers between landmasses, climate change and tectonic events are
believedto have important consequences for diversification of
terrestrialorganisms. Such consequences should be most evident in
phylogenetichistories of groups that are ancient, widespread, and
diverse.The squirrel family (Sciuridae) is one of very few mammalian
familiesendemic to Eurasia, Africa, and North and South America and isideal for examining these issues. Through phylogenetic and
molecular-clockanalyses, we infer that arrival and diversification of
squirrelsin Africa, on Sunda Shelf islands, across Beringea, and
acrossthe Panamanian isthmus coincide in timing and location with
multiplewell-documented sea-level, tectonic, and paleontological
events.These precise correspondences point to an important role for
globalchange in the diversification of a major group of mammals.
Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0338,
USA. E-mail: jmercer{at}duke.edu (J.M.M.); vlroth{at}duke.edu
(V.L.R.)
