大熊猫的分类与演化综述

TAXONOMY AND EVOLUTION OF GIANT PANDA

从化石记录和分子生物学证据方面探讨了大熊猫分类和演化的研究现状及进展。归纳和介绍了大熊猫种和亚种的划分及其主要鉴别特征、分布时限、不同地史时期大熊猫的地理分布;根据牙齿特征的细微差别将大熊猫划分为5个主要的种和亚种;根据大熊猫各种和亚种时空分布及其形态的渐变过程,得出了禄丰始熊猫→大熊猫小种→大熊猫武陵山亚种→大熊猫巴氏亚种→大熊猫现生种的演化谱系图;由于大熊猫与熊类、浣熊类在形态及遗传学上均表现出一定的相似性,因而在"科"级水平上大熊猫的归属出现了较大的争执,主要有三种观点:大熊猫属于熊科,大熊猫属于浣熊科,大熊猫自成一科,并列举了各自的证据;指出了大熊猫分类和演化研究中存在的问题,并展望了古DNA和食性研究在大熊猫分类中的应用。

This paper mainly discusses recent advances on taxonomy and evolution of giant panda in view of fossil record and molecular biology. Firstly, the paper summarizes and discusses the subdivision of giant panda and the main characters, range and geographical distribution of its species and subspecies. According to the minor discrimination of the teeth, five species and subspecies of giant panda were established. Furthermore, based on the study of giant panda's spatio-temporal distribution and morphological variation, the evolutionary lineage of giant panda,namely Ailurarctos lufengensis→Ailuropoda microta→ A. m. wulingshanensis→A.m.baconi→Ailuropoda melanoluca is recognized..Due to the morphological and genetic similarities among giant panda, bear and lesser panda, the taxonomy of giant panda in family level is still controversial. This paper introduces three main viewpoints on it: Ursidae, Procyonidae or Ailuropodidea and the detailed evidence of the affinities among giant panda and these three families. Finally,it discusses the problems on taxonomy and evolution of giant panda, and prospect the potential utility of ancient DNA and diet research approaches on giant panda taxonomy.