The genus
Trachypithecus
is the most diverse langur taxon, distributed in southwestern China, south and southeastern Asia.
In this study, we include 16 recognized
Trachypithecus species to reconstruct the phylogeny with particular concern to the taxonomy
of the three subspecies of
T. phayrei using multiple genes. Our results support a sister-relationship between
T. p. phayrei
and
T. p. shanicus. However, the mitochondrial
CYT B gene supported
T. p. crepuscula
as a distinct species, but the nuclear
PRM1 gene
suggested a closer relationship between
T. p. crepuscula and
T. p. phayrei. The incongruence between nuclear and mitochondrial
genes suggests that hybridization may have occurred, a fact that would benefit from re-examination using multiple unlinked nuclear
genes.
