A new phylogeny of swiftlets (Aves: Apodidae) based on cytochrome-b DNA.
Due to a lack of distinctive morphological characters, swift taxonomy and phylogeny has always been an area of disagreement. To shed more light on this subject, we reconstructed swift(let) phylogeny based on 1143 bp of mitochondrial cytochrome-b DNA sequence. Although this is not the first attempt to reconstruct swift phylogeny using molecular data, our results show higher support for many of the branches due to our much longer sequences. However, placement of Hydrochous is still unexpected. Implementation of more conservative genetic regions and sampling of more taxa could solve this problem. Most importantly, the Collocaliini resolve as a monophyletic group. The internal structure of the group shows that non-echolocating Collocalia and echolocating Aerodramus form two distinct clades. This is in congruence with earlier classifications based on morphological characters, but in contrast with more recent classifications.
Thomassen
Henri A
HA
Institute of Biology Leiden, Faculty for Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9516, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands. hthomassen@rulsfb.leidenuniv.nl
Wiersema
Anita T
AT
de Bakker
Merijn A G
MA
de Knijff
Peter
P
Hetebrij
Elske
E
Povel
G David E
GD
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001717:Birds / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D010802:Phylogeny; D013997:Time Factors
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D045303:Cytochromes b