Premium
Phylogenetic affinities of evolutionarily enigmatic A frican galliforms: the S tone P artridge P tilopachus petrosus and N ahan's F rancolin F rancolinus nahani, and support for their sister relationship with N ew W orld quails
Author(s) -
Cohen Callan,
Wakeling Julia L.,
MandiwanaNeudani Tshifhiwa G.,
Sande Eric,
Dranzoa Christine,
Crowe Timothy M.,
Bowie Rauri C. K.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/j.1474-919x.2012.01269.x
Subject(s) - phylogenetic tree , sister group , taxon , biology , zoology , evolutionary biology , affinities , phylogenetics , ecology , clade , genetics , gene , biochemistry
The monotypic S tone P artridge P tilopachus petrosus ( G alliformes: P hasianidae), restricted to arid rocky areas of the northern savanna belt including the S ahel on the southern border of the S ahara D esert, is a taxonomic enigma. Historically, it has been grouped with A sian forest partridges ( G alloperdix and B ambusicola spp.). However, recent DNA ‐based phylogenetic research has suggested that its closest relative is N ahan's F rancolin F rancolinus nahani , another taxonomically enigmatic A frican galliform, and a globally threatened, narrow endemic species associated with the interior of remnant primary forests of the eastern equatorial lowlands of the D emocratic R epublic of the C ongo and U ganda. This hypothesis is investigated in greater detail using additional DNA evidence and information on behaviour and vocalizations. Phylogenetic analyses of the combined sequences from three nuclear and four mitochondrial markers (5554 bases for 84 galliform taxa) overwhelmingly support the sister relationship between F . nahani and P . petrosus . They, in turn, are the distantly related sister taxon of the N ew W orld quails ( O dontophoridae), and are not related to any other O ld W orld galliform.