TY - JOUR
T1 - A new endemic family of New Zealand passerine birds
T2 - Adding heat to a biodiversity hotspot
AU - Driskell, Amy
AU - Christidis, Les
AU - Gill, B. J.
AU - Boles, Walter E.
AU - Barker, F. Keith
AU - Longmore, N. W.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - The results of phylogenetic analysis of two molecular datasets sampling all three endemic New Zealand 'honeyeaters' (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae, Anthornis melanura and Notiomystis cincta) are reported. The undisputed relatedness of the first two species to other honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), and a close relationship between them, are demonstrated. However, our results confirm that Notiomystis is not a honeyeater, but is instead most closely related to the Callaeidae (New Zealand wattlebirds) represented by Philesturnus carunculatus in our study. An estimated divergence time for Notiomystis and Philesturnus of 33.8 mya (Oligocene) suggests a very long evolutionary history of this clade in New Zealand. As a taxonomic interpretation of these data we place Notiomystis in a new family of its own which takes the name Notiomystidae. We expect this new phylogenetic and taxonomic information to assist policy decisions for the conservation of this rare bird.
AB - The results of phylogenetic analysis of two molecular datasets sampling all three endemic New Zealand 'honeyeaters' (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae, Anthornis melanura and Notiomystis cincta) are reported. The undisputed relatedness of the first two species to other honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), and a close relationship between them, are demonstrated. However, our results confirm that Notiomystis is not a honeyeater, but is instead most closely related to the Callaeidae (New Zealand wattlebirds) represented by Philesturnus carunculatus in our study. An estimated divergence time for Notiomystis and Philesturnus of 33.8 mya (Oligocene) suggests a very long evolutionary history of this clade in New Zealand. As a taxonomic interpretation of these data we place Notiomystis in a new family of its own which takes the name Notiomystidae. We expect this new phylogenetic and taxonomic information to assist policy decisions for the conservation of this rare bird.
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U2 - 10.1071/ZO07007
DO - 10.1071/ZO07007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:34249817587
SN - 0004-959X
VL - 55
SP - 73
EP - 78
JO - Australian Journal of Zoology
JF - Australian Journal of Zoology
IS - 2
ER -