猬科是胎生哺乳動(dòng)物中最古老的科之一,。猬科動(dòng)物的進(jìn)化歷史甚至可以追溯到恐龍時(shí)代的白堊紀(jì)。除了大家熟知的刺猬（亞科）之外,，形態(tài)上更為原始的毛猬（亞科）至今仍廣泛分布在東南亞和中國(guó)西南地區(qū),。
然而對(duì)猬科現(xiàn)生物種的進(jìn)化關(guān)系仍然存在很大的爭(zhēng)論。昆明動(dòng)物所蔣學(xué)龍研究員課題組與美國(guó)康涅狄格大學(xué)猬科古生物學(xué)家Gina C. Gould博士合作,，首次結(jié)合分子生物學(xué)和形態(tài)學(xué)對(duì)現(xiàn)生類群進(jìn)行進(jìn)化分析,，結(jié)果顯示現(xiàn)生的毛猬亞科動(dòng)物比刺猬起源更加古老，通常被認(rèn)為是近親的大耳猬屬和印度刺猬屬則可能是由于對(duì)干旱環(huán)境的趨同進(jìn)化造成形態(tài)上的相似,。
本研究的結(jié)果還說(shuō)明現(xiàn)有的分類系統(tǒng)未能反應(yīng)猬科的系統(tǒng)演化關(guān)系或遺傳多樣性,，對(duì)這個(gè)古老的類群還有很多工作值得開展。本研究發(fā)表于《公共科學(xué)圖書館·綜合》 (PLoS ONE：2012,，7 (6) e39304),。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039304
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An Estimation of Erinaceidae Phylogeny: A Combined Analysis Approach
Kai He1,2#, Jian-Hai Chen1,2#, Gina C. Gould3,4#, Nobuyuki Yamaguchi5, Huai-Sen Ai6, Ying-Xiang Wang1, Ya-Ping Zhang1, Xue-Long Jiang1*
Background Erinaceidae is a family of small mammals that include the spiny hedgehogs (Erinaceinae) and the silky-furred moonrats and gymnures (Galericinae). These animals are widely distributed across Eurasia and Africa, from the tundra to the tropics and the deserts to damp forests. The importance of these animals lies in the fact that they are the oldest known living placental mammals, which are well represented in the fossil record, a rarity fact given their size and vulnerability to destruction during fossilization. Although the Family has been well studied, their phylogenetic relationships remain controversial. To test previous phylogenetic hypotheses, we combined molecular and morphological data sets, including representatives of all the genera. Methodology and Principal Findings We included in the analyses 3,218 bp mitochondrial genes, one hundred and thirty-five morphological characters, twenty-two extant erinaceid taxa, and five outgroup taxa. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using both partitioned and combined data sets. As in previous analyses, our results strongly support the monophyly of both subfamilies (Galericinae and Erinaceinae), the Hylomys group (to include Neotetracus and Neohylomys), and a sister-relationship of Atelerix and Erinaceus. As well, we verified that the extremely long branch lengths within the Galericinae are consistent with their fossil records. Not surprisingly, we found significant incongruence between the phylogenetic signals of the genes and the morphological characters, specifically in the case of Hylomys parvus, Mesechinus, and relationships between Hemiechinus and Paraechinus. Conclusions Although we discovered new clues to understanding the evolutionary relationships within the Erinaceidae, our results nonetheless, strongly suggest that more robust analyses employing more complete taxon sampling (to include fossils) and multiple unlinked genes would greatly enhance our understanding of the Erinaceidae. Until then, we have left the nomenclature of the taxa unchanged; hence it does not yet precisely reflect their phylogenetic relationships or the depth of their genetic diversity.
