2003/10/21 by Jon Fjeldså, Dario Zuccon, Martin Irestedt +2 · 15 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Genetic diversity and population structure
paper · doi:10.1098/rsbl.2003.0075
openalex publication_date 2003/10/21 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Passerine birds are very plastic in their adaptations, which has made it difficult to define phylogenetic lineages and correctly allocate all species to these. Sapayoa aenigma, a member of the large group of New World flycatchers, has been difficult to place, and DNA-DNA hybridization experiments have indicated that it may have been misplaced. This is confirmed here, as base sequencing of two nuclear genes places it as a deep branch in the group of broadbills and pittas of the Old World tropics. The peculiar distribution of this lineage may be best explained in terms of a Gondwanic and Late Cretaceous origin of the passerine birds, as this particular lineage dispersed from the Antarctic landmass, reaching the Old World tropics via the drifting Indian plate, and South America via the West Antarctic Peninsula.