title: Phylogenetic relationships of four endemic genera of the Phasianidae in China based on mitochondrial DNA control-region genes.
abstract: The taxonomic status of some genera within the Phasianidae remains controversial. To demonstrate the phylogenetic relationships of four endemic genera (Tetraophasis, Ithaginis, Crossoptilon and Chrysolophus) and other 11 genera of Phasianidae in China, a total of 1070 nucleotides of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-region genes were sequenced. There are 376 variable sites including 345 parsimony sites. The genetic distance ranged from 0.067 (Chrysolophus and Phasianus) to 0.181 (Perdix and Bambusicola) among the 15 genera. Maximum likelihood method was used to construct a phylogenetic tree, which grouped all the genera into two deeply divergent clades. Perdix was shown to be a non-partridge genus. Alternatively, it appears ancestral to either partridges or pheasants. The sibling taxa of the four endemic genera were Lophophorus, Tragopan, Lophura and Phasianus, respectively. Calibrated rates of molecular evolution suggested that the divergence time between the four genera and related taxa was 4.00-5.00 million years ago, corresponding to the Pliocene. Considering their molecular phylogenetics, fossil and geographical distribution patterns, the four endemic genera might have originated in the southwestern mountains in China.
authors: School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors: Zuhao
authors: Z
authors: Huang
authors: Naifa
authors: N
authors: Liu
authors: Yi'an
authors: Y
authors: Xiao
authors: Yalin
authors: Y
authors: Cheng
authors: Wenfeng
authors: W
authors: Mei
authors: Longying
authors: L
authors: Wen
authors: Lixun
authors: L
authors: Zhang
authors: Xiaoping
authors: X
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D046094:Galliformes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial