食肉目哺乳动物的系统发育学研究概述

追溯生物界不同生物类型的起源及进化关系,即重建生物类群的系统发育树是进化生物学领域中一个十分重要的内容。食肉目哺乳动物位于食物链顶端,很多成员不仅在我国野生动物保护工作中占有重要地位,而且还是研究动物适应性进化遗传机制的重要模式生物。因而,食肉目物种作为物种资源中的一个重要类群,其系统发育学一直是国内外研究的热门课题。构建可靠的食肉目分子系统树,无疑将具有重要的进化理论意义和保护生物学价值。鉴于目前食肉目各科间系统发育关系仍然处于“广泛争论”的状态,本文将针对食肉目科水平上的系统发育学研究进展,包括来自于形态学特征、细胞学及分子生物学方面的证据,做简要概述,并提出目前研究中存在的问题。这对今后食肉目系统发育方面的进一步研究工作具有指导意义,并为以该类群作为模式生物开展适应性进化研究奠定基础。

Summary of Phylogeny in Mammalian Order Carnivora

Tracing evolutionary relationships among organisms and re-constructing species phylogenetic trees is vital in evolutionary biology. Species in the mammalian order of Carnivora rank top in the animal food chain. Most carnivores have received great interest in the conservation of wild animals and are also crucial model animals for the study of the molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution. As an order bearing important evolutionarily significance and conservation value, the phylogeny of Carnivora has received special attention. In this article, we reviewed higher-level (interfamilial) phylogeny of carnivores based on previous cytological, morphological and molecular evidence and indicated the existing phylogenetic problems. This review is expected to guide future research of carnivore phylogeny, and also provide theoretical evidence for the use of this order as a model in the study of adaptive evolution.