Phylogenetic Tree (IMAGE)

University of California - Santa Cruz

Phylogenetic Tree

Caption

A portion of the phylogenetic tree of the squirrel family (Sciuridae) illustrates how promiscuous ancestral species (black dots) gave rise to both monogamous species (blue dots) and polygynous species (red dots). Marmots (genus Marmota), for example, are mostly monogamous, although there are a couple of polygynous species. Ground squirrels in the genus Spermophilus include promiscuous, polygynous, and monogamous species.

Credit

Sinervo et al., American Naturalist, 2019

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