Figure 1

Phylogenetic tree as inferred by maximum likelihood analysis of the concatenated 4,287-bp dataset. Phylogenetic relationships of the investigated mammalian species were reconstructed using ADRA2B, AR, vWF and GHR sequences. Bayesian analyses result in an identical topology. Nodes receiving high support (BP ≥ 90% and PP ≥ 0.99) are marked with filled circles; open circles indicate that nodes received such high support with only one phylogenetic method (either BP or PP). Although the overall phylogenetic relationships as deduced from the present tree are consistent with the broadly accepted branching pattern of the mammalian tree [1], the phylogenetic position of the Eulipotyphla, displaying a high PP node support value, deviates from this consensus. The length of the branch connecting eutherians to the marsupial outgroup was reduced six times. Taxa not indicated by species name are represented by different species in the concatenated dataset, and the higher taxonomic unit is indicated (Table 1).