Genetic analysis of the Australian whipbirds and wedgebills illuminates the evolution of their plumage and vocal diversity

摘要: Morphological and vocal diversity among closely related species reflects a combination of shared ancestry recent species-specific adaptations. A small group Australo-Papuan passerines in the core Corvoidea, whipbirds wedgebills (Psophodes, Androphobus), provide an opportunity to explore this. Vocally, Western Whipbird (Psophodes nigrogularis sensu lato) is very similar two wedgebills, whereas sibilant whipcrack-like song male Eastern Whipbirds distinctive group. Using phylogenetic analysis mitochondrial DNA we show that Australian are not sister taxa but other three members Wedgebills nested within whipbird clade, supporting their current inclusion Psophodes. The topology reconstruction ancestral states suggests similarity vocalisation result character states, autapomorphic.