The Rufous Sengi is not Elephantulus-Multilocus reconstruction of evolutionary history of sengis from the subfamily Macroscelidinae

The evolutionary history of sengis (Macroscelidea), an order of Afrotheria, has been studied in last decades by molecular phylogenetic approaches. These studies proposed an evolutionary scenario for this group of mammals and, surprisingly, revealed the presence of two new genera, delimited and described in the last five years. However, most research has relied solely upon samples from Southern Africa, while the genetic information from East Africa and the Zambezian region was only fragmentary. Here, we provide the most complete multilocus phylogeny of the subfamily Macroscelidinae, using new material mainly from eastern Africa, Zambia, and Angola. In agreement with previous studies, we confirmed the presence of two major radiations in the group, corresponding to recently defined tribes Macroscelidini and Elephantulini. Contrary to previous studies, however, we provide clear genetic evidence that the widespread East African Rufous Sengi (Elephantulus rufescens) belongs to the recently delimited genus Galegeeska. This finding is in agreement with morphological traits and with general biogeographical patterns in sub-Saharan Africa. Revised divergence dating using a multispecies coalescent approach revealed much younger splits in Macroscelidea, compared with previous studies, with a majority of recent species appearing in the Plio-Pleistocene. The genus Galegeeska thus represents a typical mammalian genus of the Somali-Masai bioregion and its current diversity (at least two recognized species, G. revoilii and G. rufescens) arose during the Pleistocene climatic oscillations, which is in agreement with other studies of small mammals in this region.

Automated summary

The evolutionary history of sengis has been studied using molecular phylogenetic approaches, revealing the presence of two new genera in the last five years. New material mainly from eastern Africa, Zambia, and Angola was used to provide a more complete multilocus phylogeny of the subfamily Macroscelidinae. Contrary to previous studies, genetic evidence showed that the East African Rufous Sengi belongs to the recently delimited genus Galegeeska, which represents a typical mammalian genus of the Somali-Masai bioregion.