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dc.contributor.authorHeupink, Tim H
dc.contributor.authorvan Grouw, Hein
dc.contributor.authorLambert, David M
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-03T15:36:20Z
dc.date.available2017-05-03T15:36:20Z
dc.date.issued2014
dc.date.modified2014-09-23T00:15:04Z
dc.identifier.issn1471-2148
dc.identifier.doi10.1186/1471-2148-14-136
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/63071
dc.description.abstractThe closely related and extinct Dodo (Raphus cucullatus) and Rodrigues Solitaire (Pezophaps solitaria), both in the subfamily Raphinae, are members of a clade of morphologically very diverse pigeons. Genetic analyses have revealed that the Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) is the closest living relative of these birds, thereby highlighting their ancestors' remarkable migration and morphological evolution. The Spotted Green Pigeon (Caloenas maculata) was described in 1783 and showed some similarities to the Nicobar Pigeon. Soon however the taxon fell into obscurity, as it was regarded as simply an abnormal form of the Nicobar Pigeon. The relationship between both taxa has occasionally been questioned, leading some ornithologists to suggest that the two may in fact be different taxa. Today only one of the original two specimens survives and nothing is known about the origin of the taxon. Due to its potential close relationship, the Spotted Green Pigeon may hold clues to the historical migration, isolation and morphological evolution of the Dodo and its kindred. We use ancient DNA methodologies to investigate the phylogeny and authenticity of the Spotted Green Pigeon. A novel extraction method with the ability to retain and purify heavily fragmented DNA is used to investigate two feathers from the sole surviving specimen. Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analyses reveal that the Spotted Green Pigeon is a unique lineage and together with the Nicobar Pigeon, is basal to the Dodo and Rodrigues Solitaire. The distance observed for the Spotted Green Pigeon and Nicobar Pigeon is larger than that observed within other Pigeon species, indicating that the Spotted Green pigeon is a unique taxon, thereby also indicating it is a genuine addition to the list of extinct species. The phylogenetic placement of the Spotted Green Pigeon indicates that the ancestors of both Caloenas and therefore Raphinae displayed and shared the following traits: ability of flight, semi-terrestrial habits and an affinity towards islands. This set of traits supports the stepping stone hypothesis, which states that the Raphinae got to their respective localities by island hopping from India or Southeast Asia.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.description.publicationstatusYes
dc.format.extent1203935 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherBioMed Central
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom
dc.relation.ispartofstudentpublicationN
dc.relation.ispartofpagefrom136-1
dc.relation.ispartofpageto136-7
dc.relation.ispartofjournalBMC Evolutionary Biology
dc.relation.ispartofvolume14
dc.rights.retentionY
dc.subject.fieldofresearchEvolutionary biology
dc.subject.fieldofresearchAnimal systematics and taxonomy
dc.subject.fieldofresearchPhylogeny and comparative analysis
dc.subject.fieldofresearchGenetics
dc.subject.fieldofresearchGenetics not elsewhere classified
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode3104
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode310401
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode310410
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode3105
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode310599
dc.titleThe mysterious Spotted Green Pigeon and its relation to the Dodo and its kindred
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dc.type.codeC - Journal Articles
dcterms.licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
gro.facultyGriffith Sciences, Griffith School of Environment
gro.rights.copyright© 2014 Heupink et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
gro.hasfulltextFull Text
gro.griffith.authorLambert, David M.


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