A Comprehensive Overview of Baboon Phylogenetic History

Baboons (genus Papio) are an intriguing study system to investigate complex evolutionary processes and the evolution of social systems. An increasing number of studies over the last 20 years has shown that considerable incongruences exist between phylogenies based on morphology, mitochondrial, and nuclear sequence data of modern baboons, and hybridization and introgression have been suggested as the main drivers of these patterns. Baboons, therefore, present an excellent opportunity to study these phenomena and their impact on speciation. Advances both in geographic and genomic coverage provide increasing details on the complexity of the phylogeography of baboons. Here, we compile the georeferenced genetic data of baboons and review the current knowledge on baboon phylogeny, discuss the evolutionary processes that may have shaped the patterns that we observe today, and propose future avenues for research.

Automated summary

Baboons (genus Papio) are a fascinating subject for studying complex evolutionary processes and social system evolution. Recent studies have revealed significant discrepancies among phylogenies of modern baboons based on morphology, mitochondrial, and nuclear sequence data, suggesting that hybridization and introgression have played a key role in shaping these patterns. This makes baboons an excellent model for investigating such phenomena and their impact on speciation. Advances in geographic and genomic coverage have provided valuable insights into the phylogeography of baboons. In this review, we compile georeferenced genetic data, discuss the current understanding of baboon phylogeny, explore the evolutionary processes that have likely contributed to the observed patterns, and propose future research directions.