A Close Relationship of Chiroptera with Eulipotyphla (Core Insectivora) Suggested by Four Mitochondrial Genes

Abstract

We sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome b, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes from three insectivoran species (Japanese mole, shrew mole and musk shrew) and one chiropteran species(Japanese pipistrelles) and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII) gene from a chiropteran species. The phylogenetic relationship of core Insectivora or Eulipotyphla among major Eutherian orders was examined for these genes. A total evaluation of the maximum likelihood analyses of the four genes suggests that Chiroptera is the closest to Eulipotyphla among 4 eutherian groups (Primates, Eulipotyphla, Fereuungulata, Rodentia).