Why have scientists learned about the elephant shrew based on DNA evidence?

Scientists have learned that the elephant shrew, despite its name, is more closely related to elephants and sea cows than to true shrews, based on DNA evidence. Genetic analysis has revealed distinct evolutionary lineages, placing elephant shrews in a clade called Afrotheria, which includes various mammals native to Africa. This insight has reshaped our understanding of mammalian evolution and biodiversity, highlighting the complex relationships between different species. Such findings underscore the importance of molecular data in clarifying phylogenetic relationships that traditional morphology alone could not resolve.