Evolutionary and phylogenetic insights from a nuclear genome sequence of the extinct, giant, "subfossil" koala lemur Megaladapis edwardsi
Marciniak S, Mughal MR, Godfrey LR, Bankoff RJ, Randrianatoandro H, Crowley BE, Bergey CM, Muldoon KM, Randrianasy J, Raharivololona BM, Schuster SC, Malhi RS, Yoder AD, Louis EE, Kistler L, Perry GH.
Abstract
Based on “subfossil” skeletal remains it is known that multiple now-extinct giant lemur (primate) species with estimated body masses of up to ∼160 kg survived on Madagascar into the past millennium. In this study, we used ancient DNA methods to sequence the nuclear genome of one of these megafaunal lemurs, Megaladapis edwardsi (∼85 kg). With the power of the nuclear genome, we robustly resolved the phylogenetic relationship between Megaladapis and other lemurs, which had been a lingering uncertainty. We also identified multiple signatures of past positive natural selection across the M. edwardsi genome that support reconstructions of this taxon as a large-bodied, specialized folivore. Keywords: paleogenomics, megafaunal extinction, phylogenomics, convergent evolution, dietary reconstruction
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