Molecular phylogeny of the genus Muntiacus with special emphasis on the phylogenetic position of Muntiacus gongshanensis.

Muntjac deer (Cervidae: Muntiacus) are often cited as an excellent model for the study of vertebrate evolution due to their fast rate of change in chromosome number among vertebrates. However, the phylogenetic relationships within Muntiacus generally, and the taxonomic status of Muntiacus gongshanensis specifically, remain unclear. Here, the phylogenetic relationships within Muntiacus were studied using mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) and cytochrome b (cyt b) segments. Our results recognize 12 species within Muntiacus and support the controversial species M. gongshanensis, M. putaoensis, and M. malabaricus. Furthermore, Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) approaches revealed M. gongshanensis and M. crinifrons to be closely related species, with M. feae as their sister species, and M. putaoensis and M. truongsonensis to be closely related, with M. rooseveltorum as their sister species. The distribution range of M. gongshanensis was also confirmed in southwest China (Namdapha, Modong, Zayu and Gongshan) and northern Myanmar (Putao). The results of this study provide insight into the evolution of Muntiacus and further provide a molecular basis for the taxonomic evaluation of the genus in the future and fundamental data for the conservation of M. gongshanensis.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Gongshan muntjac (Muntiacus gongshanensis), a Critically Endangered deer species.

The first complete mitochondrial genome of the Gongshan muntjac (Muntiacus gongshanensis) was determined and annotated (GenBank accession nos. MK882935). The 16,356 bp circular genome contained 13 protein-coding genes (PGCs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 1 control region (D-loop). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Gongshan muntjac is most closely related to Black muntjac (Muntiacus crinifrons), with Fea's muntjac (Muntiacus feae) as their sister species. These data will be useful for further studies on the genetic diversity and molecular phylogenetic relationship of the genus Muntiacus.