Morphological, Linear, and Geometric Morphometric Differences (Skull, Mandible, and Pelvis) among Subspecies of Talpa Levantis (Eulipotyphla: Talpidae) with Molecular Divergence (mtDNA and Nuclear DNA)

Abstract

In this study, we conducted comprehensive analysis to determine the morphological, linear morphometric, and geometric morphometric differences between three subspecies of Talpa levantis: T. levantis levantis, T. levantis dogramacii, and T. levantis transcaucasica. Molecular analyses including mitochondrial DNA (complete cyt b gene) and nuclear DNA (BRCA-2) were also used. The subspecies of T. levantis showed similarities in the parastyle of the first upper molar and the mesostyle of the second and third upper molars, as well as in the morphology of the pelvis and linear measurements of the ventral skull, mandible, and pelvis. T. levantis dogramacii and T. levantis levantis clustered together in the phylogenetic tree based on cyt b, and these subspecies exhibited low Mahalanobis distances for the ventral part of the skull, the mandible, and the lateral part of the hemicoxae. T. levantis transcaucasica exhibited higher Mahalanobis distances than the other studied subspecies. In the phylogenetic analysis, T. levantis transcaucasica had a lower genetic distance to the geographically distant subspecies T. levantis dogramacii. Ecological factors were found to be effective on shape and centroid size, except for the mandible. Phylogenetic analyses (cyt b and BRCA-2) and geometric morphometric analyses (ventral skull, mandible, and hemicoxa) revealed that T. levantis transcaucasica is distinct from the other subspecies. The molecular and geometric morphometric results obtained in this study support the conclusion that the valid name for this taxon is "Talpa transcaucasica."