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David P. Mindell - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Phylogeny of eagles, Old World vultures, and other Accipitridae based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.
    Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 2005
    Co-Authors: Heather R. L. Lerner, David P. Mindell
    Abstract:

    We assessed phylogenetic relationships for birds of prey in the family Accipitridae using molecular sequence from two mitochondrial genes (1047 bases ND2 and 1041 bases cyt-b) and one nuclear intron (1074 bases b-fibrinogen intron 7). We sampled representatives of all 14 Accipitridae subfamilies, focusing on four subfamilies of eagles (booted eagles, sea eagles, harpy eagles, and snake eagles) and two subfamilies of Old World vultures (Gypaetinae and Aegypiinae) with nearly all known species represented. Multiple well-supported relationships among accipitrids identified with DNA differ from those traditionally recognized based on morphology or life history traits. Monophyly of sea eagles (Haliaeetinae) and booted eagles (Aquilinae) was supported; however, harpy eagles (Harpiinae), snake eagles (Circaetinae), and Old World vultures were found to be non-monophyletic. The Gymnogene (Polyboroides typus) and the Crane Hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens) were not found to be close relatives, presenting an example of convergent evolution for specialized limb morphology enabling predation on cavity nesting species. Investigation of named subspecies within Hieraaetus fasciatus and H. morphnoides revealed significant genetic differentiation or non-monophyly supporting recognition of H. spilogaster and H. weiskei as distinctive species. 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Juha Merila - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the himalayan griffon gyps himalayensis accipitriformes Accipitridae sequence structure and phylogenetic analyses
    Ecology and Evolution, 2019
    Co-Authors: Lichun Jiang, Liqing Peng, Min Tang, Min Zhang, Andrea J West, Qiping Ruan, Wei Chen, Juha Merila
    Abstract:

    : This is the first study to describe the mitochondrial genome of the Himalayan Griffon, Gyps himalayensis, which is an Old World vulture belonging to the family Accipitridae and occurring along the Himalayas and the adjoining Tibetan Plateau. Its mitogenome is a closed circular molecule 17,381 bp in size containing 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA coding genes, two rRNA-coding genes, a control region (CR), and an extra pseudo-control region (CCR) that are conserved in most Accipitridae mitogenomes. The overall base composition of the G. himalayensis mitogenome is 24.55% A, 29.49% T, 31.59% C, and 14.37% G, which is typical for bird mitochondrial genomes. The alignment of the Accipitridae species control regions showed high levels of genetic variation and abundant AT content. At the 5' end of the domain I region, a long continuous poly-C sequence was found. Two tandem repeats were found in the pseudo-control regions. Phylogenetic analysis with Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood based on 13 protein-coding genes indicated that the relationships at the family level were (Falconidae + (Cathartidae + (Sagittariidae + (Accipitridae + Pandionidae))). In the Accipitridae clade, G. himalayensis is more closely related to Aegypius monachus than to Spilornis cheela. The complete mitogenome of G. himalayensis provides a potentially useful resource for further exploration of the taxonomic status and phylogenetic history of Gyps species.

Mariana B. J. Picasso - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Wing and tail myology of Tyto furcata (Aves, Tytonidae).
    Journal of Morphology, 2020
    Co-Authors: Gastón E. Lo Coco, María Clelia Mosto, Matías J. Motta, Mariana B. J. Picasso
    Abstract:

    Barn Owls (Tytonidae) are nocturnal raptors with the largest geographical distribution among Strigiformes. Several osteological, morphometrical, and biomechanical studies of this species were performed by previous authors. Nevertheless, the myology of forelimb and tail of the Barn Owls is virtually unknown. This study is the first detailed myological study performed on the wing and tail of the American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata). A total of 11 specimens were dissected and their morphology and muscle masses were described. Although T. furcata has the wing and tail myological pattern present in other species of Strigiformes, some peculiarities were observed including a difference in the attachment of m. pectoralis propatagialis due to the lack of the os prominence, and the presence of an osseous arch in the radius that seems to widen the anchorage area of the mm. pronator profundus, extensor longus alulae, and extensor longus digiti majoris. Furthermore, the m. biceps brachii has an unusual extra belly that flexes the forearm. The interosseous muscles have a small size and lacks ossified tendons. This feature may be indicative of a lower specialization in the elevation and flexion of the digiti majoris. Forelimb and tail muscle mass account for 10.66 and 0.24% of the total body mass, respectively. Forelimb muscle mass value is similar to the nocturnal (Strigiformes) and diurnal (Falconidae and Accipitridae) raptors, while the tail value is lower than in the diurnal raptors (Falconidae and Accipitridae). The myological differences with other birds of prey are here interpreted in association with their "parachuting" hunting style. This work complements our knowledge of the axial musculature of the American Barn owls, and provides important information for future studies related to functional morphology and ecomorphology.

  • Neurocranial and brain anatomy of a Late Miocene eagle (Aves, Accipitridae) from Patagonia
    Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2009
    Co-Authors: Mariana B. J. Picasso, Claudia P. Tambussi, María Teresa Dozo
    Abstract:

    ABSTRACT The neurocranial fragment from the Late Miocene (Huayquerian SALMA, 9,0 to 6,8 Ma) of Estancia La Pastosa new locality, Puerto Madryn Formation, Patagonia, Argentina, is described. This is the first available fossil skull of Accipitridae in South America. Features as the elongated-triangular shape of the cranial roof, vast separation between the processus postorbitalis and between both fossae temporalis, and narrow and acuminate outline of the fossa temporalis allow to assign the fossil to Accipitridae Vieilloit, 1816. The well-preserved cavum cranii allowed construction of an endocast that partially reflects brain anatomy. The latter is very similar to those of extant and fossil species of Accipitridae. This fossil eagle is the only predator recorded at this new Miocene locality thus far.

Fabio Akashi Hernandes - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Malcolm A. Ferguson-smith - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Multidirectional chromosome painting substantiates the occurrence of extensive genomic reshuffling within Accipitriformes
    BMC evolutionary biology, 2015
    Co-Authors: Wenhui Nie, Bertrand Bed'hom, Patricia C. M. O’brien, J. Wang, V. Volobouev, Malcolm A. Ferguson-smith, Gauthier Dobigny
    Abstract:

    Previous cross-species painting studies with probes from chicken (Gallus gallus) chromosomes 1–10 and a paint pool of nineteen microchromosomes have revealed that the drastic karyotypic reorganization in Accipitridae is due to extensive synteny disruptions and associations. However, the number of synteny association events and identities of microchromosomes involved in such synteny associations remain undefined, due to the lack of paint probes derived from individual chicken microchromosomes. Moreover, no genome-wide homology map between Accipitridae species and other avian species with atypical karyotype organization has been reported till now, and the karyotype evolution within Accipitriformes remains unclear. To delineate the synteny-conserved segments in Accipitridae, a set of painting probes for the griffon vulture, Gyps fulvus (2n = 66) was generated from flow-sorted chromosomes. Together with previous generated probes from the stone curlew, Burhinus oedicnemus (2n = 42), a Charadriiformes species with atypical karyotype organization, we conducted multidirectional chromosome painting, including reciprocal chromosome painting between B. oedicnemus and G. fulvus and cross-species chromosome painting between B. oedicnemus and two accipitrid species (the Himalayan griffon, G. himalayensis 2n = 66, and the common buzzard, Buteo buteo, 2n = 68). In doing so, genome-wide homology maps between B. oedicnemus and three Accipitridae species were established. From there, a cladistic analysis using chromosomal characters and mapping of chromosomal changes on a consensus molecular phylogeny were conducted in order to search for cytogenetic signatures for different lineages within Accipitriformes. Our study confirmed that the genomes of the diurnal birds of prey, especially the genomes of species in Accipitriformes excluding Cathartidae, have been extensively reshuffled when compared to other bird lineages. The chromosomal rearrangements involved include both fusions and fissions. Our chromosome painting data indicated that the Palearctic common buzzard (BBU) shared several common chromosomal rearrangements with some Old World vultures, and was found to be more closely related to other Accipitridae than to Neotropical buteonine raptors from the karyotypic perspective. Using both a chromosome-based cladistic analysis as well as by mapping of chromosomal differences onto a molecular-based phylogenetic tree, we revealed a number of potential cytogenetic signatures that support the clade of Pandionidae (PHA) + Accipitridae. In addition, our cladistic analysis using chromosomal characters appears to support the placement of osprey (PHA) in Accipitridae.

  • Reciprocal chromosome painting between white hawk (Leucopternis albicollis) and chicken reveals extensive fusions and fissions during karyotype evolution of Accipitridae (Aves, Falconiformes)
    Chromosome Research, 2010
    Co-Authors: Edivaldo H. Correa Oliveira, Marcella Mergulhão Tagliarini, Cleusa Yoshico Nagamachi, Julio Cesar Pieczarka, Patricia C. M. O’brien, Jorge Dores Rissino, Malcolm A. Ferguson-smith
    Abstract:

    Evolutionary cytogenetics can take confidence from methodological and analytical advances that promise to speed up data acquisition and analysis. Drastic chromosomal reshuffling has been documented in birds of prey by FISH. However, the available probes, derived from chicken, have the limitation of not being capable of determining if breakpoints are similar in different species: possible synapomorphies are based on the number of segments hybridized by each of chicken chromosome probes. Hence, we employed FACS to construct chromosome paint sets of the white hawk ( Leucopternis albicollis ), a Neotropical species of Accipitridae with 2n = 66. FISH experiments enabled us to assign subchromosomal homologies between chicken and white hawk. In agreement with previous reports, we found the occurrence of fusions involving segments homologous to chicken microchromosomes and macrochromosomes. The use of these probes in other birds of prey can identify important chromosomal synapomorphies and clarify the phylogenetic position of different groups of Accipitridae.