Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of the woodpecker genus Veniliornis (Picidae, Picinae) and related genera implies convergent evolution of plumage patterns

The woodpecker genus Veniliornis comprises 12 species, all restricted to the New World tropics. The seemingly distantly related genus Picoides is broadly distributed in Eurasia and North America with two putative species, P. lignarius and P. mixtus, occurring in South America. The two genera are cle...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biological journal of the Linnean Society 2006-04, Vol.87 (4), p.611-624
Main Authors: MOORE, WILLIAM S., WEIBEL, AMY C., AGIUS, ANDREA
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aves
biogeography
Biological and medical sciences
Biological evolution
classification
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution
molecular clock
New World
paraphyly
Picidae
Picoides
Piculus
tropic
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
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Summary:The woodpecker genus Veniliornis comprises 12 species, all restricted to the New World tropics. The seemingly distantly related genus Picoides is broadly distributed in Eurasia and North America with two putative species, P. lignarius and P. mixtus, occurring in South America. The two genera are clearly distinct with respect to general plumage colouration and patterning as well as habitat utilization and thus traditionally have been placed in different tribes. Phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA sequences from the COI and cyt b genes indicated that both genera are reciprocally paraphyletic. The two South American species of Picoides belong to a clade comprising most species of Veniliornis, but V. fumigatus of Central and north‐western South America belongs to a clade comprising species of Picoides. The mtDNA tree also indicated that Veniliornis is not closely related to the genus Piculus, as is implicit in current classifications. Misclassifications involving Veniliornis at both the generic and tribal levels appear to result from convergent evolution of plumage traits in specific forest types. We infer that the common ancestor of Veniliornis entered South America approximately at the time the Isthmus of Panama was formed, and diversification within South America was rapid. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 87, 611–624.
ISSN:0024-4066
1095-8312
DOI:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2006.00586.x