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A multilocus phylogeny of New World jay genera.
Elisa Bonaccorso1, A Townsend Peterson
1Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA. elisab@ku.edu
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
|September 15, 2006
Summary
Phylogenetic analysis of New World Jays (NWJs) reveals their evolutionary history. NWJs originated in North America or Mesoamerica, with South American populations dispersing independently.
Area of Science:
- Ornithology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Molecular Phylogenetics
Background:
- The evolutionary relationships and biogeography of New World Jays (NWJs) remain incompletely understood.
- Previous studies have lacked comprehensive genetic data and robust phylogenetic analyses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among New World Jays (NWJs) using molecular data.
- To investigate the historical biogeography and origin of NWJs.
Main Methods:
- DNA sequencing of three mitochondrial and two nuclear loci from seven NWJ genera and four outgroups.
- Phylogenetic analyses including maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference.
- Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis (DIVA) to infer biogeographical history.
Main Results:
- Phylogenetic analyses support the basal position of Cyanolyca and identify key clades: (Cyanocorax (Calocitta, Psilorhinus)) and ((Cyanocitta, Aphelocoma) Gymnorhinus).
- A novel morphological synapomorphy unites Cyanocitta and Aphelocoma.
- Within Cyanocorax, C. yncas is basal to a split involving former "Cyssilopha" species.
- Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis suggests NWJ origins in Mesoamerica or North America+Mesoamerica, with three independent dispersals to South America.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a robust molecular phylogeny for New World Jays, clarifying their systematic relationships.
- Evidence suggests a North American or Mesoamerican origin for NWJs, with significant subsequent dispersal events into South America.
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