Knowra Afrotheria Afrotheria Afrotheria is a placental-mammal clade that includes elephants, hyraxes, manatees, aardvarks, sengis, golden moles, and tenrecs. Its members share a common ancestry inferred from genetic and anatomical evidence.
Elephant : A large terrestrial mammal in the family Elephantidae, characterized by a trunk and tusks. Elephants are the most familiar living members of Afrotheria.
Molecular phylogenetics : The study of evolutionary relationships using molecular data, especially DNA and protein sequences. Molecular comparisons first revealed that Afrotheria’s disparate mammals form a shared lineage.
Africa : The world’s second-largest continent, home to exceptional diversity of mammals and other organisms. Most living Afrotherian lineages are native to Africa, which inspired the clade’s name.
Xenarthra : A placental-mammal clade containing armadillos, sloths, and anteaters, native to the Americas. Xenarthra, like Afrotheria, was once grouped among mammals with ancient southern origins.
Hyrax : A small herbivorous mammal in the order Hyracoidea, native to Africa and the Middle East. Hyraxes are close relatives of elephants within Afrotheria despite their very different appearance.
Retrotransposon : A mobile genetic element that copies itself through an RNA intermediate and inserts the copy elsewhere in a genome. Shared retrotransposon insertions provide rare genomic evidence for common ancestry.
Afro-Arabian plate : A tectonic plate comprising Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, separated from Eurasia by the Red Sea and associated rifts. Afrotherian evolution is often studied against Africa’s long geographic isolation.
Laurasiatheria : A major placental-mammal clade that includes bats, carnivorans, ungulates, and cetaceans. Laurasiatheria is a major placental branch separate from Afrotheria.
Manatee : An aquatic herbivorous mammal in the genus Trichechus, adapted to life in warm coastal and freshwater habitats. Manatees represent the marine branch of Afrotheria.
Mitochondrial DNA : The DNA housed in mitochondria, generally inherited through the maternal line in mammals. Mitochondrial sequences helped establish Afrotheria as a major mammalian clade.
Show all 21