Reconstructing the tempo and mode of evolution in an extinct clade of birds with ancient DNA: the giant moas of New Zealand.

ABSTRACT: The tempo and mode of evolution of the extinct giant moas of New Zealand remain obscure because the number of lineages and their divergence times cannot be estimated reliably by using fossil bone characters only. We therefore extracted ancient DNA from 125 specimens and genetically typed them for a 658-bp mtDNA control region sequence. The sequences detected 14 monophyletic lineages, 9 of which correspond to currently recognized species. One of the newly detected lineages was a genetically divergent form of Megalapteryx originally described as a separate species, two more were lineages of Pachyornis in southern and northeastern New Zealand, and two were basal lineages of South Island Dinornis. When results from genetic typing and previous molecular sexing were combined, at least 33.6% of t

SUBMITTER: Baker AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1149408 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature