gruiform

Most recently, Ericson et al. (2006), in a study of molecular sequence data, also supported gruiform polyphyly.

Goodbye, my giant predatory, cursorial, flightless hoatzin Darren Naish 2006

In a study of osteological and soft-tissue characters, Mayr & Clarke (2003) also found gruiforms to be polyphyletic: rails, trumpeters and cranes (referred to from hereon as the ‘gruiform core’) were one of the most basal groups within Neoaves, bustards were without close relatives, and seriemas formed a clade with … .. hoatzins.

Goodbye, my giant predatory, cursorial, flightless hoatzin Darren Naish 2006

Different gruiforms were found to belong to both groups; mesites, kagus and sunbitterns were metavians close to owlet nightjars, grebes and sandgrouse; seriemas and bustards were coronavians without close relatives; while the gruiform core was part of a coronavian clade that included divers, cuckoos, turacos, tubenosed seabirds, storks, herons, penguins and pelicans.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

Different gruiforms were found to belong to both groups; mesites, kagus and sunbitterns were metavians close to owlet nightjars, grebes and sandgrouse; seriemas and bustards were coronavians without close relatives; while the gruiform core was part of a coronavian clade that included divers, cuckoos, turacos, tubenosed seabirds, storks, herons, penguins and pelicans.

Goodbye, my giant predatory, cursorial, flightless hoatzin Darren Naish 2006

In their comprehensive and influential study of DNA hybridization, Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) supported gruiform monophyly, as did Livezey (1998) in a large study of morphological data, and Cracraft et al. (2004) on genetic data.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

In their comprehensive and influential study of DNA hybridization, Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) supported gruiform monophyly, as did Livezey (1998) in a large study of morphological data, and Cracraft et al. (2004) on genetic data.

Goodbye, my giant predatory, cursorial, flightless hoatzin Darren Naish 2006

In a study of osteological and soft-tissue characters, Mayr & Clarke (2003) also found gruiforms to be polyphyletic: rails, trumpeters and cranes (referred to from hereon as the ‘gruiform core’) were one of the most basal groups within Neoaves, bustards were without close relatives, and seriemas formed a clade with … .. hoatzins.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

Most recently, Ericson et al. (2006), in a study of molecular sequence data, also supported gruiform polyphyly.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

Their study is significant in that they found support for Fain & Houde’s Metaves-Coronaves division, and the gruiform groups fell into pretty similar positions, though with exceptions.

Goodbye, my giant predatory, cursorial, flightless hoatzin Darren Naish 2006

Their study is significant in that they found support for Fain & Houde’s Metaves-Coronaves division, and the gruiform groups fell into pretty similar positions, though with exceptions.

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006