Platyrrhine Phylogenetics With A Focus On Callitrichine Life History Adaptations

PLATYRRHINE PHYLOGENTICS WITH A FOCUS ON CALLITRICHINE LIFEHISTORY ADAPTATIONSbyNATALIE MAE JAMESONDecember 2013Advisor: Dr. Derek E. WildmanMajor: Molecular Genetics and BiologyDegree: Doctor of PhilosophyThe life history of a species is highly impacted by their reproductive strategy. Inmy dissertation I address the changing reproductive strategies in callitrichine New Worldmonkeys and their genetic underpinnings using a phylogenetic approach. The necessityfor a resolved phylogeny is universal to any comparative genomic study. Here we haveconstructed a reliable phylogenetic framework from which reproductive strategy couldbe studied in callitrichines. First, to determine the most recent common ancestor ofAnthropoid primates we took a phylogenomic approach, using the publicly availablewhole genome sequences of 17 mammal species. With high confidence, wedetermined here that Tarsier is the most recent common ancestor to Anthropoidprimates. Secondly, we construct a reliable phylogenetic framework for New Worldmonkeys. To do this, genomic sequence databases are developed and parsed for non-genic markers. The resulting phylogeny is based on 40+kb of non-genic genomic dataand contains 40 species. Finally the reproductive strategy of callitrichines wasinvestigated. The timing and mechanism of litter size reduction in Goeldi’s monkey wasaccessed though detection of chimerism and adaptive evolution of genes involved in