Phylogenetic relationships of the genus Mohoua, endemic hosts of New Zealand's obligate brood parasitic Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis)

Zachary Aidala, Nicola Chong, Michael G. Anderson, Luis Ortiz-Catedral, Ian G. Jamieson, James V. Briskie, Phillip Cassey, Brian J. Gill, Mark E. Hauber

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The three species of New Zealand's endemic Mohoua genus are sole hosts of the obligate brood parasitic Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis), making their intrageneric phylogenetic relationships particularly important for coevolutionary studies. Also, recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have not identified the family-level placement of this genus. To resolve both intrageneric and family relationships, we generated new nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data and conducted phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference among representatives of endemic New Zealand passerines and Australasian 'core Corvoidea' lineages. The results establish strong intrageneric relationships of all three Mohoua species, confirm the monophyly of the genus, and suggest its placement in a re-erected monotypic family: Mohouidae.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1127-1133
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Ornithology
Volume154
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2013
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Core Corvoidea
  • Pachycephalidae
  • Phylogenetics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Animal Science and Zoology

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