title: A multigene phylogeny examining evolutionary and ecological relationships in the Australo-papuan wrens of the subfamily Malurinae (Aves).
abstract: Nucleotide sequences from four mitochondrial genes and three nuclear introns were used to examine phylogenetic relationships within the Australo-papuan fairy-wrens (Passeriformes: Maluridae: Malurinae). A well-resolved and well-supported phylogenetic hypothesis of all species in the subfamily was generated. The tree contained three clades corresponding to groups with similar plumages previously identified in earlier studies: the "bi-color," "blue," and "chestnut-shouldered" groups. The genus Malurus was not monophyletic -Malurusgrayi formed a clade with two New Guinean genera Sipodotus and Clytomyias. We recommend M. grayi be reclassified into the genus Chenorhamphus Oustalet 1898. One other taxonomic change is recommended based on the large genetic distance between the two subspecies of Chenorhamphus grayi - the elevation of C. g.campbelli to specific status (= C. campbelli). Although the family Maluridae appears to have had its origins in Australia, the DNA data supports a New Guinean origin for the Malurini (Sipodotus, Clytomyias, Chenorhamphus, Malurus).
authors.affiliation: Laboratories of Analytical Biology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, Maryland 20746, USA. driskella@si.edu
authors.forename: Amy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Driskell
authors.forename: Janette A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pruett-Jones
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mangall
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sonsthagen
authors.forename: Les
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Christidis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D004463:Ecology; D007438:Introns; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D020308:Songbirds / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial