MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY AND TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE EASTERN WOOLLY LEMURS (AVAHI LANIGER)

The western and northern populations of woolly lemurs (Avahi) have been divided into three distinct species (A. cleesei, A. occidentalis and A. unicolor), whereas the eastern populations are still considered to represent a single species (A. laniger), despite the wider distribution of woolly lemurs in this region. To analyze the diversity within the eastern population and among the eastern and western populations, we compared cytogenetic data and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from woolly lemurs from 14 sites in the east of Madagascar and from three sites in the west, representing three of the four recognized species. Cytogenetic and mtDNA data are in agreement and confirm the distinctiveness of A. laniger and A. occidentalis. Within A. laniger the molecular data revealed large genetic distances among local populations. On the basis of these new data we propose to split A. laniger into three species: (1) north of the Mongoro/Onive Rivers, (2) south of the Mongoro/Onive Rivers at least as far south as Mahasoarivo, and (3) from the south-east (Manombo, Sainte Luce). Within the south-eastern species (3) two clearly separated subspecies can be distinguished, one from the region of Manombo and the other from the region of Sainte Luce. The northern species (1) shows considerable intraspecies genetic distances and may consist of several populations distinguishable as subspecies. However, our sampling has not as yet resolved the pattern of these taxa. Additionally, based on our mtDNA analysis, the separate specific status of A. cleesei is questionable.