Relationships of Birds – Molecules versus Morphology

Marcel van Tuinen, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA

Published online: September 2005

DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0004163

Molecules and morphology sometimes point to different phylogenies of modern birds. Molecules generally make a better tool for phylogenetic inference, but the evolutionary meaning of a phylogeny requires knowledge from both morphology and fossils.

Keywords: molecules; morphology; birds; evolution; convergence

Figure 1. Current molecular understanding of the phylogenetic relationships among modern birds. Molecules and morphology agree in separating ratites and tinamous from all other birds, while placing gamefowl and waterfowl basal within the latter group. Consensus further exists in placing swifts with hummingbirds (and not with swallows), and suboscines (represented by New World flycatcher) with oscine perching birds (represented by robin and swallow). In addition to the universally recognized cases of morphological convergence between swifts and swallows, and penguins and auks, molecules have revealed several other instances of convergent evolution. This result implies that organismal change can proceed at a much faster pace than previously recognized. Examples of convergent evolution shown here include hoatzin versus gamefowl, New World vultures versus Old World vultures, frigatebirds and pelicans versus other pelecaniform taxa, loons versus grebes, and flamingos versus storks and versus waterfowl.
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Related Sub-Topics:

Reconstruction of Phylogeny | Techniques and Tools in Molecular Biology
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Article Title: Relationships of Birds – Molecules versus Morphology
 
How to Cite close
van Tuinen, Marcel(Sep 2005) Relationships of Birds – Molecules versus Morphology. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1038/npg.els.0004163]