Mitogenomes of historical type specimens unravel the taxonomy of sportive lemurs (Lepilemur spp.) in Northwest Madagascar

Accurate information on name-bearing types, including corresponding type localities, is essential for proper taxonomy. However, such geographic information is often missing or unreliable. The localities of type specimens collected 100–200 years ago can be difficult to trace due to changes in local names or simple inaccuracies. Such a case can be found for the gray-backed sportive lemur (Lepilemur dorsalis), with its type locality imprecisely fixed as Northwest Madagascar. In recent years, eight species have been newly described for the Inter-River-Systems (IRSs) of this region, however the designation of L. dorsalis remains controversial due to a lack of a precise type locality. Here, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of type specimens of L. dorsalis and L. grandidieri, which is currently recognized as a synonym of L. dorsalis and compared their sequences with those of samples of known provenance from different IRSs. Results showed that the two type specimens of L. dorsalis and L. grandidieri had identical mitogenome sequences and clustered closely with samples collected in IRS V, indicating that the type locality could be fixed to IRS V. Consequently, L. dorsalis occurs in IRS V, and L. grandidieri and L. mittermeieri are junior synonyms of L. dorsalis. This finding demonstrates the value of type specimens for clarifying phylogeographic and taxonomic questions and clarifies the taxonomy of sportive lemurs in Northwest Madagascar.