Sibling Species or Subspecies? Molecular Phylogenetics of Neotoma Mexicana Found South of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec

SIBLING SPECIES OR SUBSPECIES? MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS OF NEOTOMA MEXICANA FOUND SOUTH OF THE ISTHMUS OF TEHUANTEPEC. M. K. Unkefer, R. D. Bradley , N. Ordonez-Garza, & C. W. Edwards, College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax VA 22030, Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX, 79409 and Natural Science Research Laboratory, The Museum, Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX 79409. Phylogenetic relationships between members of Neotoma mexicana were investigated using standard molecular techniques. Mitochondrial DNA was isolated from tissue samples from 11 woodrat specimens collected from locations south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico. Sequences from the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome-b gene were amplified and used to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among select N. mexicana subspecies and to verify the subspecific integrity of N. mexicana found south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. In the future, results from this study will be used to examine phylogenetics of the N. mexicana clade and to describe the historical role of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the evolution of rodents in North and South America.