Reports

Program No.18-062

For giving a presentation in the Work Shop of HOPE entitled "Primate Origins of Human Evolution".

Hirohisa Hirai

2nd November,2006 - 12th Nobember,2006

 Dr. Anthony Tosi gave a presentation entitled " Evolutionary insight gained from the comparative phylogenetics of cercopithecine monkeys". Abstract of the presentation was as following: In cercopithecine monkeys, Y-chromosomal, mitochondrial, and autosomal DNA differ in numerous evolutionarily significant parameters. Consequently, gene trees inferred from these various classes of DNA occasionally differ in divergence patterns and/or divergence times. Such cases of incongruence can reveal rich details in the history of closely-related taxa. Studies of Macaca show that comparison of tree patterns can distinguish introgression from lineage sorting, and that comparison of branch lengths can discern time of initial separation from time of last genetic contact. Members of different species groups of the (arboreal) Cercopithecus occasionally hybridize and thereby open a conduit for genetic exchange. Incongruence among cercopithecine gene trees reminds us that significant levels of reticulate gene flow can occur long after the initial separation of populations and species. Based on his presentation we had various discussions.

Anthony Tosi

participants

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