Abstract With almost 2,600 species, Rodentia is the most diverse order of mammals. Here,
we provide an overview of changes in our understanding of the systematics of living rodents …

Genomics promises comprehensive surveying of genomes and metagenomes, but rapidly
changing technologies and expanding data volumes make evaluation of completeness a …

Palaeobiogeographic reconstructions are underpinned by phylogenies, divergence times
and ancestral area reconstructions, which together yield ancestral area chronograms that …

Background Development of phylogenetic methods that do not rely on fossils for the study of
evolutionary processes through time have revolutionized the field of evolutionary biology …

Background Variation is a naturally occurring phenomenon that is observable at all levels of
morphology, from anatomical variations of DNA molecules to gross variations between …

A full understanding of primate morphological and genomic evolution requires the
identification of their closest living relative. In order to resolve the ancestral relationships …

Background Rodentia is the most diverse order of placental mammals, with extant rodent
species representing about half of all placental diversity. In spite of many morphological and …

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements with the ability to replicate
themselves throughout the host genome. In some taxa TEs reach copy numbers in hundreds …

The rodent superfamily Octodontoidea comprises 6 families, 38 genera, and 193 living
species of spiny rats, tuco-tucos, degus, hutias, and their relatives. All are endemic to the …

Mammalian colour patterns are among the most recognizable characteristics found in nature
and can have a profound impact on fitness. However, little is known about the mechanisms …