Data from: Molecular phylogeny and chromosomal evolution of Alcelaphini (Antilopinae)

Robertsonian (Rb) translocations, in particular centric fusions, are
thought to play a primary role in evolution and speciation of the Bovidae
family. However, Rb fusions are often polymorphic within species, being
suggested as phylogenetically uninformative characters. This work studies
chromosome variation in 72 captive individuals of 6 species of Alcelaphini
(Antilopinae): The hartebeest (genus Alcelaphus), hirola (Beatragus),
black and blue wildebeests (Connochaetes), and the topi and bontebok
(Damaliscus). We infer the phylogenic relationships among Alcelaphini
species and determine patterns of chromosomal evolution using G-banded
karyotypes and complete mitochondrial genome sequences. The molecular
phylogeny showed an early divergence of Connochaetes, followed by the
split of Alcelaphus plus Beatragus + Damaliscus as sister taxa.
Mitochondrial and chromosomal phylogenies only differed in the position of
the critically endangered Beatragus, likely due to homoplasic chromosome
characters. Patterns of chromosome evolution, reconstructed using a
probabilistic approach, suggest that chromosome changes leading to
speciation in Alcelaphini do not exclusively involve consecutive reduction
of diploid number through centric fusion but also the losses and
reversions of Rb translocations in Beatragus and Damaliscus lineages. Our
results provide evidence that complex scenarios of chromosomal
rearrangements can be detected in relatively recent-diverged bovids, as in
this group of antelopes.