The phylogenetic affinities of Crossley's babbler (Mystacornis crossleyi): adding a new niche to the vanga radiation of Madagascar.
Crossley's babbler (Mystacornis crossleyi) is a passerine endemic to Madagascar. Traditionally, it has been classified as a babbler (Timaliidae), although affinities with warblers and vangas have been suggested. We investigated the phylogenetic affinities of Crossley's babbler using sequence data from two nuclear introns (myoglobin intron 2 and beta-fibrinogen intron 5) and one mitochondrial gene (ND2). We present for the first time (to our knowledge) a molecular phylogeny that confidently places this enigmatic species within the vangas (Vangidae). The inclusion of Crossley's babbler within the vangas adds another foraging niche--gleaning small invertebrates from the ground-to this already large adaptive radiation of songbirds.
Johansson
Ulf S
US
DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 77014, Cape Town, South Africa. ulf.johansson@nrm.se
Bowie
Rauri C K
RC
Hackett
Shannon J
SJ
Schulenberg
Thomas S
TS
D000818:Animals; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000235:genetics; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial; D007438:Introns; D008270:Madagascar; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D020308:Songbirds / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*
D009211:Myoglobin; D005340:Fibrinogen