The Phylogenetic Relationships within the Tribe Bovini (Bovidae: Bovinae) Using Mitochondrial Genome

Molecular data are powerful tools to resolve taxonomic problems. Each gene in each taxon shows a degree of variation through which we can understand phylogenetic relationships among different taxa. In this survey, the phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Bovini were reevaluated using 24 mitogenomes and cytochrome b (cytb), cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA), and NADH dehydrogenase subunit I (ND1) mitochondrial markers. We used all the gene sequences of extinct, domesticated, and wild species within the tribe Bovini. The phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using the maximum likelihood (ML) method. Based on the mitogenomes, the average base composition of mtDNA sequences was 27.1% T, 26% C, 33.5% A, and 13.4% G, showing a strong AT bias (60.6%). Our results revealed that the genus bison is not an independent taxon in the taxonomic rank of the genus and it is completely a paraphyletic taxon. Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) showed a sister relationship with other species belonging to the subtribe Bovina and it might be better to place this species within the subtribe Bovina. Also, in the mentioned subtribe, we distinguished three distinct monophyletic groups. In all of the phylogenetic trees, the subtribe Bubalina was a monophyletic taxon, and Syncerus caffer had a sister group relationship with other species belonging to the genus Bubalus. The obtained data should be taken into consideration in future conservation efforts for this tribe.