Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Mammal Research, cilt.71, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Mongoose species (Herpestidae) exhibit a wide geographic distribution across Africa, Asia, and several island regions, yet mitogenomic data remain scarce for many taxa and regions. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genomes of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) from Türkiye and the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) from Iraq are analyzed for the first time to explore their genetic structure and phylogenetic relationships within the Herpestidae. The mitogenomes are similar in overall organization and size (16,660 bp in H. ichneumon and 16,761 bp in U. auropunctata), with variations primarily found in the D-loop (control region), which influences genome length through repeated motifs. The Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) phylogenetic analyses using complete mitochondrial genome and cytochrome b (CYTB) sequences reinforce the previous findings on Herpestidae phylogeny. Results support the division of Herpestidae into two subfamilies (Herpestinae and Mungotinae), confirm the monophyly of Urva, and highlight the paraphyly of Herpestes. Based on the complete mitogenome sequences, the Iraqi U. auropunctata specimens are clustered with Japanese and Fijian specimens, indicating low level of intraspecific variation. Herpestes ichneumon is clustered with the Galerella sanguine based on the mitogenome sequences. Additionally, H. ichneumon haplotypes are grouped into three haplogroups (Iberian, Levantine, and South African) based on the CYTB sequences, reflecting regional genetic differentiation. Molecular dating estimated Herpestidae diverges from Eupleridae ~ 30.76 million years ago (Mya), with subfamily divergence occurring in the Early Miocene (~ 19.87 Mya). Within Urva, species begin diverging around 12.5 Mya, with U. javanica and U. auropunctata separating ~ 4.67 Mya. Recent divergence is also noted between H. ichneumon specimens from Türkiye and Lebanon (~ 150 Kya) and among U. auropunctata populations from Iraq, Japan, and Fiji (~ 600 Kya), supporting ongoing intraspecific diversification within both species. This study provides valuable insights into the phylogeny and evolutionary history of two mongoose species by comparing the structural and organizational features of their mitogenomes from biogeographically related regions, along with phylogenetic and evolutionary dating analyses based on complete mitogenome and CYTB sequences.