Radiation of extant cetaceans driven by restructuring of the oceans
ME Steeman, MB Hebsgaard, RE Fordyce… - Systematic …, 2009 - academic.oup.com
The remarkable fossil record of whales and dolphins (Cetacea) has made them an exemplar
of macroevolution. Although their overall adaptive transition from terrestrial to fully aquatic
organisms is well known, this is not true for the radiation of modern whales. Here, we
explore the diversification of extant cetaceans by constructing a robust molecular phylogeny
that includes 87 of 89 extant species. The phylogeny and divergence times are derived from
nuclear and mitochondrial markers, calibrated with fossils. We find that the toothed whales …
of macroevolution. Although their overall adaptive transition from terrestrial to fully aquatic
organisms is well known, this is not true for the radiation of modern whales. Here, we
explore the diversification of extant cetaceans by constructing a robust molecular phylogeny
that includes 87 of 89 extant species. The phylogeny and divergence times are derived from
nuclear and mitochondrial markers, calibrated with fossils. We find that the toothed whales …
