HIGHLY REPEATED DNA ANALYSIS AND SYSTEMATICS OF THE LEMURIDAE, A FAMILY OF MALAGASY PROSIMIANS

Hybridization of highly repeated DNA sequences of Eulemur fulvus mayottensis, Lemur catta, and Varecia has been performed on blots of different species of Lemuridae (L. catta, Hapalemur griseus, Varecia variegata variegata, V. v. rubra, E. macaco macaco, E. coronatus, E. mongoz, and E rubriventer). The probe of E. fulvus only hybridized with the different Eulemur species, whereas that of Varecia hybridized with the two subspecies of Varecia and that of L. catta with both L. catta and Hapalemur. These results were used to confirm the classification of Varecia in a separate genus and to review the separation of the L. catta/Hapalemur group from the other species of Eulemur. Comparison of the migration patterns from DNA fragments of these different species has been used to propose a cladogram of the different Eulemur species.