What is not a bird of paradise? Molecular and morphological evidence placesMacgregoriain the Meliphagidae and the Cnemophilinae near the base of the corvoid tree

Abstract

The cnemophiline`birds of paradise' (Cnemophilinae) and Macgregor's`bird of paradise' (Macgregoria) have traditionally been included in the Paradisaeidae although their relationships within the group have been enigmatic and subject to repeated discussion in the literature. Here we use sequences from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I, along with a suite of morphological characters, to investigate their relationships to paradisaeids and other members of the passerine Parvorder Corvida. The combined data strongly support the removal of both groups from the birds of paradise: the cnemophilines are basal members of the Corvoidea and Macgregoria is a member of the Meliphagoidea and embedded in the honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) close to the genus Melipotes. The amount of sequence divergence among basal passeriforms and members of the Corvida, as well as available fossil evidence for Australian corvidans, suggest that cnemophilines represent an ancient lineage within the corvoid radiation. Because cnemophilines and Macgregoria have been placed at the base of the paradisaeid tree, hypotheses of morphological, behavioural and ecological character-state transformations within the family will require reanalysis.

An Update of Wallace’s Zoogeographic Regions of the World

“…Pachycephalidae (401,(431)(432)(433)(434)(435); Paradisaeidae (436)(437)(438)(439); Rhipiduridae (440,441); Vangidae (442)(443)(444)(445); Vireonidae (446)(447)(448)(449)(450)(451) …”

Reconstructing the geographic origin of the New World jays

“…Frozen tissue samples (muscle tissue) were obtained from the American Museum of Natural History, Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science, National Taiwan Normal University and the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. We also added DNA sequences from GenBank from previous studies [1,11,14,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] that overlapped our sequenced gene regions.…”

“…Frozen tissue samples (muscle tissue) were obtained from the American Museum of Natural History, Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science, National Taiwan Normal University and the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. We also added DNA sequences from GenBank from previous studies [1,11,14,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]] that overlapped our sequenced gene regions.DNA sequences were obtained for three mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b, or Cytb; nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 2, or ND2; and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 3, or ND3), and three nuclear introns (the seventh intron of the beta-fibrinogen gene, or βfib7; the second intron of the myoglobin gene, or Myo2; and the fifth intron of the transforming growth factor β2, or TGFβ2). Genes were amplified using the following primers: Cytb, L14851 [35] DNA extraction, PCR amplification, sequencing, alignment and model selection DNA was extracted from frozen tissues using proteinase K digestion under manufacturer's protocols (Qiagen DNeasy tissue kit).…”

A phylogenetic hypothesis for passerine birds: taxonomic and biogeographic implications of an analysis of nuclear DNA sequence data

“…Nevertheless, the Tapestry has become the standard hypothesis of relationships used in a large array of analyses of avianand in particular passerine-morphological, life historical and behavioural diversity (Mooers & Cotgreave 1994), as well as in interpretation of passerine diversification (Nee et al 1992;Raikow & Bledsoe 2000;Cracraft 2001). Several studies of higher-level passerine relationships using independent datasets have been conducted since the publication of Sibley and Ahlquist's work, including additional DNA-DNA hybridization data (Bledsoe 1988;Sheldon & Gill 1996), allozymes (Christidis & Schodde 1991Christidis et al 1993), mitochondrial DNA sequences (Edwards et al 1991;Helm-Bychowski & Cracraft 1993;Christidis et al 1996a,b;Groth 1998;Cibois et al 1999;Pasquet et al 1999;Cracraft & Feinstein 2000;Honda & Yamagishi 2000;Klicka et al 2000) and, most recently, nuclear-DNA sequences (Lovette & Bermingham 2000;Ericson et al 2000;Irestedt et al 2001). In general, these studies have found broad congruence with Sibley and Ahlquist at the highest levels (suborders and parvorders), but significant conflicts have arisen at finer scales (superfamilies and below).…”