Open AccessOn the phylogenetic relationships of trogons (Aves, Trogonidae)
Author(s) -
Mayr Gerald
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of avian biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.022
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1600-048X
pISSN - 0908-8857
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-048x.2003.03042.x
Subject(s) - biology , monophyly , cladistics , osteology , phylogenetic tree , sister group , extant taxon , zoology , evolutionary biology , phylogenetics , clade , genetics , gene
Although trogons (Aves, Trogonidae) are well characterized by the possession of heterodactyl feet, their phylogenetic relationships to other extant birds still are only poorly understood. Molecular studies did not show conclusive results and there are amazingly few comparative studies of the anatomy of trogons. Virtually the only hypothesis on trogon relationships that was supported with derived morphological characters is a sister group relationship to alcediniform birds (bee‐eaters, kingfishers, and allies), which share a derived morphology of the columella (ear‐ossicle) with trogons. However, in this study a very similar columella is reported for the oilbird (Steatornithidae) and additional previously unrecognized derived osteological characters are presented, which are shared by trogons and oilbirds. A numerical cladistic analysis of 28 morphological characters also resulted in monophyly of Trogonidae and Steatornithidae, although the corresponding node was not retained in a bootstrap analysis.