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A complete phylogeny of the whales, dolphins and even-toed hoofed mammals (Cetartiodactyla)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 April 2005

Samantha A. Price
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Gilmer Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4328, USA
Olaf R. P. Bininda-Emonds
Affiliation:
Lehrstuhl fur Tierzucht, Technical University of Munich, Alte Akademie 12, 85354 Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
John L. Gittleman
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Gilmer Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4328, USA
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Abstract

Despite the biological and economic importance of the Cetartiodactyla, the phylogeny of this clade remains controversial. Using the supertree approach of matrix representation with parsimony, we present the first phylogeny to include all 290 extant species of the Cetacea (whales and dolphins) and Artiodactyla (even-toed hoofed mammals). At the family-level, the supertree is fully resolved. For example, the relationships among the Ruminantia appear as (((Cervidae, Moschidae) Bovidae) (Giraffidae, Antilocapridae) Tragulidae). However, due to either lack of phylogenetic study or contradictory information, polytomies occur within the clades Sus, Muntiacus, Cervus, Delphinidae, Ziphiidae and Bovidae. Complete species-level phylogenies are necessary for both illustrating and analysing biological, geographical and ecological patterns in an evolutionary framework. The present species-level tree of the Cetartiodactyla provides the first opportunity to examine comparative hypotheses across entirely aquatic and terrestrial species within a single mammalian order.

Type
Review Article
Copyright
2005 Cambridge Philosophical Society

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