Summary of Phylogeny in Mammalian Order Carnivora
摘要
Tracing evolutionary relationships among organisms and re-constructing\nspecies phylogenetic trees is vital in evolutionary biology. Species in\nthe mammalian order of Carnivora rank top in the animal food chain.\nMost carnivores have received great interest in the conservation of\nwild animals and are also crucial model animals for the study of the\nmolecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution. As an order bearing\nimportant evolutionarily significance and conservation value, the\nphylogeny of Carnivora has received special attention. In this article,\nwe reviewed higher-level (interfamilial) phylogeny of carnivores based\non previous cytological, morphological and molecular evidence and\nindicated the existing phylogenetic problems. This review is expected\nto guide future research of carnivore phylogeny, and also provide\ntheoretical evidence for the use of this order as a model in the study\nof adaptive evolution.