Mitochondrial phylogeny of leaf monkeys (genus Presbytis, Eschscholtz, 1821) with implications for taxonomy and conservation

The langurs of the genus Presbytis inhabit tropical rainforests of Sundaland, and with more than 50 color variants grouped in up to eleven species, Presbytis is one of the most diverse Old World monkey genera. The number of taxa and their phylogenetic relationships however remain controversial. To address these issues, we analyzed a 1.8 kb long fragment of the mitochondrial genome, including the cytochrome b gene, the hypervariable region I of the D-loop and the intermediate tRNAs, from individuals representing nine species. Based on our data, we obtained various well-supported terminal clades, which refer mainly to described taxa. Relationships among these clades are not fully resolved, suggesting at least two radiations in the evolutionary history of the genus. According to divergence age estimates, radiations occurred in the late Miocene and the early to middle Pleistocene. Our findings support the revision of the current classification of the genus Presbytis and enable us to discuss implications for conservation. However, further studies including nuclear sequence data are necessary to completely understand the evolutionary history of the genus, and to address possible hybridization events among taxa.

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► We present the most comprehensive phylogenetic study of the leaf monkey genus Presbytis.
► We detected two periods of radiation (late Miocene and early/middle Pleistocene).
► Our findings support the revision of the current classification.