Taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of the flightless Mancallinae (Aves, Pan-Alcidae)

Abstract

Although flightless alcids from the Miocene and Pliocene of the eastern Pacific Ocean have been known for over 100 years, there is no detailed evaluation of diversity and systematic placement of these taxa. This is the first combined analysis of morphological and molecular data to include all extant alcids, the recently extinct Great Auk Pinguinus impennis, the mancalline auks, and a large outgroup sampling of 29 additional non-alcid charadriiforms. Based on the systematic placement of Mancallinae outside of crown clade Alcidae, the clade name Pan-Alcidae is proposed to include all known alcids. An extensive review of the Mancallinae fossil record resulted in taxonomic revision of the clade, and identification of three new species. In addition to positing the first hypothesis of inter-relationships between Mancallinae species, phylogenetic results support placement of Mancallinae as the sister taxon to all other Alcidae, indicating that flightlessness evolved at least twice in the alcid lineage. Convergent osteological characteristics of Mancallinae, the flightless Great Auk, and Spheniscidae are summarized, and implications of Mancallinae diversity, radiation, and extinction in the context of paleoclimatic changes are discussed.

An Alphataxonomic Revision of Extinct and Extant Razorbills (Aves, Alcidae): A Combined Morphometric and Phylogenetic Approach

“…As in previous studies (Strauch 1985, Moum et al 2002, Baker et al 2007, Pereira and Baker 2008, Smith 2011, the present study recovered strong support for a clade composed of Alca and Pinguinus, although relationships between Alca species remained partially unresolved. Alca torda and A. minor were recovered as sister taxa, and A. stewarti, A. carolinensis, and A. olsoni were recovered as successive outgroups to this clade.…”

“…Inclusion of measurement data from extant auklets (i.e., Aethia and Ptychoramphus) provided a test of the robustness of this method with respect to differentiating between members of a single clade, the monophyly of which is supported by analyses of both morphological (Strauch 1985, Smith 2011 and molecular data (Friesen et al 1996, Pereira andBaker 2008).…”

“…Bremer support values were calculated using a script generated in MACCLADE, version 4.08 (Maddison and Maddison 2005), and implemented in PAUP*. The tree was rooted with C. columba on the basis of this taxon's placement outside of Alcini in previous analyses (Strauch 1985, Moum et al 1994, Baker et al 2007, Pereira and Baker 2008, Smith 2011.…”

“…72 evaluation of extinct species richness with respect to latitudinal gradients will allow for comparisons with extant latitudinal distribution of alcid species. Furthermore, insights gained through more detailed evaluation of the alcid fossil record may result in a refined understanding of the extent to which previously hypothesized (Warheit 1992a, Emslie 1998, Olson and Rasmussen 2001, Smith et al 2007, Pereira and Baker 2008, Smith 2011 paleoclimatic drivers contributed to radiations and extinctions in Alcidae.…”

Endocranial anatomy of Antarctic Eocene stem penguins: implications for sensory system evolution in Sphenisciformes (Aves)

“…Penguins are one of four known lineages of flightless wingpropelled diving birds, along with the extinct Plotopteridae (Olson and Hasegawa, 1979) and the Mancallinae (Lucas Auks) and Great Auk lineages, which independently transitioned to flightlessness (Smith, 2011). As the only surviving clade to exploit this niche, penguins provide our most direct source of information on how this shift in locomotor behavior is reflected in the anatomy of the brain and sensory organs.…”