Out of Africa, but how and when? The case of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas).

摘要: Many species of Arabian mammals are considered to be Afrotropical origin and for most them the Red Sea has constituted an obstacle dispersal since Miocene–Pliocene transition. There two possible routes, ‘northern’ ‘southern’, terrestrial (including humans) move between Africa Arabia. The ‘northern route’, crossing Sinai Peninsula, is confirmed several taxa by extensive fossil record, especially from northern Egypt Levant, whereas ‘southern across Bab-el-Mandab Strait, which links with Gulf Aden, more controversial, although post-Pliocene crossings might have been during glacial maxima when sea levels were low. Hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) only baboon taxon disperse out still inhabit In this study, we investigate hamadryas using mitochondrial sequence data 294 samples collected in Arabia Northeast Africa. Through analysis geographic distribution genetic diversity, timing population expansions, divergence time estimates combined palaeoecological data, test: (i) if African genetically distinct; (ii) exhibit substructure; (iii) when, via route, colonized Arabia. Our results suggest that Late Pleistocene (130–12 kya [thousands years ago]) also moved back We reject hypothesis introduced humans, because initial colonization considerably predates earliest records human seafaring region. Our strongly route’ could used same period as proposed modern humans.