By Anna Bazzicalupo

Anna Bazzicalupo was born and grew up in Naples, Italy; she has now started a PhD in fungal systematics at UBC. In between these two points in time, several things happened in various places - most of the things though happened in Italy and in Scotland.

PRELIMINARY DATA FROM THE UNICORN GENOME: THE FIRST POSSIBLE INDICATION IN HISTORY OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION OF HYBRIDIZATION ACROSS ORDERS

Journal of Fantastic Phylogenetics 2012 8(9): 42-49 Authors: Jean-Pierre Marielle III & Justin Case | pdf version In this study we present the preliminary finding of what could be the first record in history of hybridization between mammalian Orders (Perissodactyla and Cetacea). Phylogenetic analyses from the unicorn (Equus unicornus) mitochondrial genes (protein-coding Cytochrome b, Cytb) show a matriline belonging to the Narwhal (Monodon monceros) while nuclear (V-kit Hardy-Zuckerman 4 feline sarcoma viral oncogene homolog, Kit) clearly show a sister relationship of the unicorn-pegasus (Equus alatus) clade with the rest of the Perissodactyl family Equidae. Our preliminary study strongly suggests the…

Keep reading