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Phylogenetic position of the monotypic Des Murs’ Wiretail (Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii, Aves: Furnariidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA

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Abstract

Parallelisms and paraphyletic assemblages are common among ovenbirds. Molecular markers are therefore the best approach when studying the evolutionary relationships among the members of this unparalleled diversified family. We obtained nucleotide sequence data from mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and nuclear genes (myoglobin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphodehydrogenase) and used these to deduce the phylogenetic position of a monotypic genus endemic to the austral temperate rainforests of southern South America, the Des Murs’ Wiretail (Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii Des Murs, 1847, Aves: Furnariidae). Phylogenetic analyses based on maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference all converged into a congruent topology, with a basal position of Des Murs’ Wiretail within Synallaxinae together with Tit–Spinetails (Leptasthenura). Our data reject the hypothesis of a phylogenetic relationship between Des Murs’ Wiretail and thistletails (Schizoeaca) which exhibit parallelisms in morphology, tail structure and nest architecture. Using a molecular clock based on the myoglobin intron 2 gene, we estimated a divergence time of Des Murs’ Wiretail from Tit-Spinetails of 14–15 Myr, which is associated with the appearance of sclerophyllous forest elements in Chile at the Middle–Upper Miocene.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to H. Merlet and Dr. C. Tala from the Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG) and I. Benoit from the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) for authorizing the collection of biological samples in Chile. We thank Dr. V. González, “Lonco” R. Panichine and J. Carcamo for helping to collect samples at the National Reserve Río Cipreses, Chanquín and San Juan de Chadmo (Chiloé), respectively. Thanks to J. Carcamo (Nahuelbuta National Park) and many other people from CONAF who collaborated with the field work. We thank Prof. Dr. H. Bock (Managing Director of IWR) and S. Friedel for access to parallel computing facilities at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR, Heidelberg University). H. Sauer-Gürth provided valuable technical assistance in our laboratory. T.C.H. Cole and two anonymous referees provided valuable comments and advice to improve this manuscript. The field work was partially funded by Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF-DLR: CHL 01/016; many thanks to Dr. Hans-Ulrich Peter, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena). All experiments comply with the current laws of Germany.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Pharmazie und Molekulare Biotechnologie, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Javier Gonzalez & Michael Wink

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  1. Javier Gonzalez
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  2. Michael Wink
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Correspondence to Javier Gonzalez.

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Communicated by F. Bairlein.

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Gonzalez, J., Wink, M. Phylogenetic position of the monotypic Des Murs’ Wiretail (Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii, Aves: Furnariidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. J Ornithol 149, 393–398 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-007-0251-0

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