TY - JOUR
T1 - Genic and morphometric variation in kangaroo rats, genus Dipodomys, from coastal California
AU - Best, Troy L.
AU - Chesser, Ronald K.
AU - Mccullough, David A.
AU - Baumgardner, George D.
PY - 1996/8
Y1 - 1996/8
N2 - Genic and morphometric variation was examined among populations of Dipodomys agilis, E. elephantinus, and D. venustus from the Pacific coastal ranges of central and southcentral California to ascertain their systematic relationships. Genic data separated D. agilis from D. elephantinus and D. venustus on the basis of six unique alleles, and the two populations of D. agilis were separated from one another by three fixed alleles. D. elephantinus and D. venustus were not separated from each other by any fixed allelic differences, although D. venustus had one allele at a polymorphic locus that was not present in D. elephantinus. Multivariate analyses of external and cranial characters placed both populations of D. venustus close together, the two populations of D. agilis were well separated from D. venustus and each other, and D. elephantinus was placed apard from D. venustus. This study indicates that D. agilis is not conspecific with D. elephantinus or D. venustus. Although D. elephantinus differs from D. venustus in several morphometric characters, none can reliably differentiate between them. D. elephantinus is considered to be a subspecies of D. venustus because these taxa are nearly identical genetically, karyotypically, and in bacular morphology. In addition, the degrees of differences in external and cranial characters are similar to those observed among populations of other species of Dipodomys.
AB - Genic and morphometric variation was examined among populations of Dipodomys agilis, E. elephantinus, and D. venustus from the Pacific coastal ranges of central and southcentral California to ascertain their systematic relationships. Genic data separated D. agilis from D. elephantinus and D. venustus on the basis of six unique alleles, and the two populations of D. agilis were separated from one another by three fixed alleles. D. elephantinus and D. venustus were not separated from each other by any fixed allelic differences, although D. venustus had one allele at a polymorphic locus that was not present in D. elephantinus. Multivariate analyses of external and cranial characters placed both populations of D. venustus close together, the two populations of D. agilis were well separated from D. venustus and each other, and D. elephantinus was placed apard from D. venustus. This study indicates that D. agilis is not conspecific with D. elephantinus or D. venustus. Although D. elephantinus differs from D. venustus in several morphometric characters, none can reliably differentiate between them. D. elephantinus is considered to be a subspecies of D. venustus because these taxa are nearly identical genetically, karyotypically, and in bacular morphology. In addition, the degrees of differences in external and cranial characters are similar to those observed among populations of other species of Dipodomys.
KW - California
KW - Dipodomys
KW - Heteromyidae
KW - genic variation
KW - geographic variation
KW - kangaroo rat
KW - morphologic variation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029963222&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2307/1382684
DO - 10.2307/1382684
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0029963222
SN - 0022-2372
VL - 77
SP - 785
EP - 800
JO - Journal of Mammalogy
JF - Journal of Mammalogy
IS - 3
ER -