Chromosomal-level reference genome assembly of muskox (Ovibos moschatus) from Banks Island in the Canadian Arctic, a resource for conservation genomics.

The muskox (Ovibos moschatus), an integral component and iconic symbol of arctic biocultural diversity, is under threat by rapid environmental disruptions from climate change. We report a chromosomal-level haploid genome assembly of a muskox from Banks Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The assembly has a contig N50 of 44.

Chromosomal-level reference genome assembly of the North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus): a resource for conservation genomics.

We report a chromosomal-level genome assembly of a male North American wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) from the Kugluktuk region of Nunavut, Canada. The genome was assembled directly from long-reads, comprising: 758 contigs with a contig N50 of 36.6 Mb; contig L50 of 20; base count of 2.

Does evolution of echolocation calls and morphology in Molossus result from convergence or stasis?

Although many processes of diversification have been described to explain variation of morphological traits within clades that have obvious differentiation among taxa, not much is known about these patterns in complexes of cryptic species. Molossus is a genus of bats that is mainly Neotropical, occurring from the southeastern United States to southern Argentina, including the Caribbean islands. Molossus comprises some groups of species that are morphologically similar but phylogenetically divergent, and other groups of species that are genetically similar but morphologically distinct.

Next generation sequencing data in the phylogenetic relationships of the genus (Chiroptera, Molossidae).

The mastiff bat is a broadly distributed genus within the family Molossidae. includes groups of species that are either morphologically or genetically very similar, rendering the taxonomy of this genus confusing and unstable. In this paper, we provide inferred phylogenetic relationships of based on the genotype by sequencing approach from 189 specimens of three species of New World mastiff bats (, , and ).

Comparative phylogeography of mainland and insular species of Neotropical molossid bats ().

Historical events, habitat preferences, and geographic barriers might result in distinct genetic patterns in insular versus mainland populations. Comparison between these two biogeographic systems provides an opportunity to investigate the relative role of isolation in phylogeographic patterns and to elucidate the importance of evolution and demographic history in population structure. Herein, we use a genotype-by-sequencing approach (GBS) to explore population structure within three species of mastiff bats (, , and ), which represent different ecological histories and geographical distributions in the genus.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) provide unprecedented resolution of species boundaries, phylogenetic relationships, and genetic diversity in the mastiff bats (Molossus).

Mammals are one of the better known groups of animals, and in the Neotropics bats typically comprise about half of the mammalian species diversity. But, well resolved species-level phylogenies are still lacking for most taxa of bats. One broadly distributed genus is the mastiff bats, Molossus.

Evolutionary relationships and climatic niche evolution in the genus Handleyomys (Sigmodontinae: Oryzomyini).

Mesoamerica is considered a biodiversity hot spot with levels of endemism and species diversity likely underestimated. Unfortunately, the region continues to experience some of the highest deforestation rates in the world. For mammals, the evolutionary relationships of many endemic taxa are controversial, as it is the case for members of the genus Handleyomys.

Molecular data on the CO1 and beta fibrinogen gene in the evolutionary relationships of the mastiff bat (Chiroptera, Molossidae, ).

is one of the most diverse genera of free-tailed bats in the pantropical family Molossidae and occurs though all the Neotropics. Nevertheless, the taxonomy and phylogeny of this group is poorly understood. Here, we present the data on evolutionary relationships of based on DNA barcodes of COI gene from 346 specimens of and its sister genus and another New World molossid .

Nuclear and mtDNA phylogenetic analyses clarify the evolutionary history of two species of native Hawaiian bats and the taxonomy of Lasiurini (Mammalia: Chiroptera).

Previous studies on genetics of hoary bats produced differing conclusions on the timing of their colonization of the Hawaiian Islands and whether or not North American (Aeorestes cinereus) and Hawaiian (A. semotus) hoary bats are distinct species. One study, using mtDNA COI and nuclear Rag2 and CMA1, concluded that hoary bats colonized the Hawaiian Islands no more than 10,000 years ago based on indications of population expansion at that time using Extended Bayesian Skyline Plots.

Genome and Transcriptome Assembly of the Canadian Beaver ().

The Canadian beaver () is the largest indigenous rodent in North America. We report a draft annotated assembly of the beaver genome, the first for a large rodent and the first mammalian genome assembled directly from uncorrected and moderate coverage (< 30 ×) long reads generated by single-molecule sequencing. The genome size is 2.

Stereotypic vocalizations in harvest mice (Reithrodontomys): Harmonic structure contains prominent and distinctive audible, ultrasonic, and non-linear elements.

Reports of audible vocalizations are rare in adult muroid rodents, animals generally very small in body size and under strong predation pressure. By contrast, communication using high, often ultrasonic vocal frequencies is relatively common. There are anecdotal reports of audible vocalizations for some harvest mice (genus Reithrodontomys), however none have been recorded or analyzed.

TOWARD A MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY FOR PEROMYSCUS: EVIDENCE FROM MITOCHONDRIAL CYTOCHROME-b SEQUENCES.

One hundred DNA sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene of 44 species of deer mice (Peromyscus (sensu stricto), 1 of Habromys, 1 of Isthmomys, 2 of Megadontomys, and the monotypic genera Neotomodon, Osgoodomys, and Podomys were used to develop a molecular phylogeny for Peromyscus. Phylogenetic analyses (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference) were conducted to evaluate alternative hypotheses concerning taxonomic arrangements (sensu stricto versus sensu lato) of the genus. In all analyses, monophyletic clades were obtained that corresponded to species groups proposed by previous authors; however, relationships among species groups generally were poorly resolved.