title: A multilocus phylogeny of New World jay genera.
abstract: We studied phylogenetic relationships of the New World Jays (NWJs) based on DNA sequences from three mitochondrial and two nuclear loci. Sampling included at least two individuals from each of the seven NWJ genera and four outgroups of closely related corvids, as well as six of the 16 Cyanocorax species (including two representatives of the previously recognized "Cissilopha"). Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses for individual genes and a combined dataset. The combined phylogenetic analysis supports the basal position of Cyanolyca to all other NWJs, a (Cyanocorax (Calocitta, Psilorhinus)) clade, and a ((Cyanocitta, Aphelocoma) Gymnorhinus) clade that agrees with a novel morphological synapomorphy uniting Cyanocitta and Aphelocoma. Within Cyanocorax, C. yncas (former "Xanthoura") is basal to a split among former "Cyssilopha" species and the rest of the Cyanocorax species. To explore implications for the historical biogeography of the NJWs, we used Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis, which indicated that NWJs originated either in Mesoamerica or North America+Mesoamerica, with South American NWJs dispersing three times independently from Mesoamerica.
authors.affiliation: Natural 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
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonaccorso
authors.forename: A Townsend
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000263:Adenylate Kinase / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000235:genetics; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009245:NADH Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017354:Point Mutation; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D005340:Fibrinogen; D045303:Cytochromes b; D009245:NADH Dehydrogenase; D000263:Adenylate Kinase