PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS AND RATES OF EVOLUTION IN PRIMATES - ALLOZYMIC DATA FROM CATARRHINE AND PLATYRRHINE SPECIES

The genetic electrophoretic variation at up to 43 protein loci was studied in four hominoid, three cercopithecoid, and three ceboid species. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on genetic distances show that the two chimpanzee species are closest to humans, while the gorilla diverged earlier than the split between humans and the chimpanzee. Within the cercopithecoids the green monkey apparently diverged earlier than the macaques, and within the ceboids, the owl monkey is only distantly related to the capuchin and squirrel monkeys. The hypothesis that rates of evolution at the level of protein electrophoretic variation are equal both among the groups, as well as within each group, could not be rejected. © 1990 Japan Monkey Centre.