Phylogenetic relationships of caucasian shrew Sorex satunini Ogn. (Mammalia) in the superspecies Sorex araneus inferred from the data of karyological analysis and the mtDNA cyt b gene sequencing

Using the data of karyological analysis, the phylogenetic relationships of Caucasian shrew Sorex satunini and the cryptic species of superspecies Sorex araneus were examined. In the population of Sorex satunini from the plain of North Ciscaucasia two deeply radiated cytochrome b genes (A and B) were identified. Genetic distance between haplotype A and B groups constituted 0.0675 ± 0.008, which is higher than any distance in superspecies S. araneus. Possible introgression of type B haplotypes from the populations of the evolutionary lineage S. subaraneus-S. araneus in Pleistocene and the time of the appearance of the chromosomal polymorphism of S. araneus is discussed. Our results show that the use of only one mitochondrial marker can lead to false conclusions on taxonomic diversity.