Molecular phylogeny of the genus Muntiacus with special emphasis on the phylogenetic position of Muntiacus gongshanensis

Muntjac deer (Cervidae: Muntiacus) are often cited as an excellent model for the study of vertebrate evolution due to their fast rate of change in chromosome number among vertebrates. However, the phylogenetic relationships within Muntiacus generally, and the taxonomic status of Muntiacus gongshanensis specifically, remain unclear. Here, the phylogenetic relationships within Muntiacus were studied using mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) and cytochrome b (cyt b) segments. Our results recognize 12 species within Muntiacus and support the controversial species M. gongshanensis, M. putaoensis, and M. malabaricus. Furthermore, Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) approaches revealed M. gongshanensis and M. crinifrons to be closely related species, with M. feae as their sister species, and M. putaoensis and M. truongsonensis to be closely related, with M. rooseveltorum as their sister species. The distribution range of M. gongshanensis was also confirmed in southwest China (Namdapha, Modong, Zayu and Gongshan) and northern Myanmar (Putao). The results of this study provide insight into the evolution of Muntiacus and further provide a molecular basis for the taxonomic evaluation of the genus in the future and fundamental data for the conservation of M. gongshanensis.