An Immunological Examination of the Systematics of Tupaioidea

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The taxonomic position of Tupaioidea with respect to the order Primates and the remainder of Mammalia has been examined using an immunodiffusion technique in trefoil Ouchterlony plates. Antisera were made in rabbits to blood plasma proteins of six of the nine tree shrew species used in comparisons. Numerous non-tupaiid species were also included in experiments with these antisera. Computer analysis of the results of these comparisons indicate the existence of Tupaioidea as a distinct order, which is related to Primates and Dermoptera (flying lemurs). No similarity between Tupaioidea and Macroscelidea (elephant shrews) was observed. The members of the genus Tupaia, which were examined appeared to belong to two subgenera. Subgenus Tupaia included T. glis, T. chinensis, T. belangeri, and T. longipes, whereas subgenus Lyonogale included T. montana, T minor, and T. palawanensis, in addition to T. tana, which is generally considered to belong to this subgenus.

This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit: