title: Phylogenetic affinities of the Fregetta storm-petrels are not black and white.
abstract: The Fregetta storm-petrels generally are regarded to comprise two species: black-bellied storm-petrels F. tropica (monotypic) breed at Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands (46-63°S), and white-bellied storm-petrels F. grallaria breed at south temperate islands (28-37°S), with four recognized subspecies. Confusion surrounds the status of birds at Gough Island (40°S), central South Atlantic, which have been attributed usually to a white-bellied form of black-bellied storm-petrel F. t. melanoleuca. We use cytochrome b and nuclear β-fibrinogen gene sequences to show that F. t. melanoleuca are present during the breeding season at Gough and islands in the nearby Tristan da Cunha archipelago (37°S), exhibiting limited divergence from F. t. tropica. We also show that there is greater diversity among F. grallaria populations, with eastern South Pacific F. g. segethi and F. g. titan differing by c. 0.011, and both differing from western South Pacific nominate F. g. grallaria by c. 0.059. The Tristan archipelago supports a population of F. grallaria closely allied to the nominate form, as well as a distinct form identified as F. g. leucogaster. Further research is needed to assess how F. grallaria and F. tropica segregate in sympatry at Tristan and Gough, and why this is the only location where both species have white-bellies.
authors.affiliation: Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. Electronic address: bruce.robertson@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Bruce C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Eco-Vista: Photography & Research Ltd, P.O. Box 8291, Havelock North 4157, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Brent M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ronconi
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PB 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sharyn J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Goldstien
authors.affiliation: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, P.O. Box 467, Wellington, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.affiliation: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, P.O. Box 467, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tennyson
authors.affiliation: Office of Environment & Heritage, Dept. of Premier & Cabinet, P.O. Box 1967, Hurstville, NSW 2220, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carlile
authors.affiliation: Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D001717:Birds / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D003116:Color; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000235:genetics; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D062312:Islands; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D005340:Fibrinogen; D045303:Cytochromes b
keywords: Cytochrome b gene; Fregetta storm-petrels; Phylogeny; Procellariiformes; South Atlantic Ocean; β-fibrinogen gene