This project will study the nucleotide sequence data from one nuclear and three mitochondrial genes to test the monophyly of the Hystricognathi. Africa and South American rodents that share a common masticatory morphology expressed in characters of the zygomasseteric complex, the lower jaw and chewing musculature. This study, which will apply molecular analyses to the problem for the first time, bears directly on rodent evolution and relationships, on critical historical biogeographic issues such as the origin, and pattern, mechanism and timing of dispersal of the South American Paeogene mammals, and on paleontological issues such as the origin and homologies of characters preserved in the earliest known groups of fossil rodents from the Paleocene and Eocene.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Environmental Biology (DEB)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
9208022
Program Officer
James E. Rodman
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1993-01-01
Budget End
1997-12-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
$216,421
Indirect Cost
Name
Texas A&M Research Foundation
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
College Station
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77845