High impact information on Passeriformes

• Taxon sampling and the phylogenetic position of Passeriformes: evidence from 916 avian cytochrome b sequences [1].
• Phylogenetic analysis of complete cytochrome b genes of six avian orders showed that Passeriformes represent the earliest divergence among recent birds, contradicting the commonly accepted notion of a basal position of the Palaeognathae among recent birds [2].
• Phylogenetic analysis of the complete cytochrome b genes of seven avian orders placed the Passeriformes basal in the avian tree with the Struthioniformes among the remaining Neognathae [3].
• Analysis of physical reflectance spectra of carotenoid-bearing plumages among trophically diverse tanagers (Thraupini, Emberizinae, Passeriformes) indicated that both the absolute and relative (to long visible wavelengths) amounts of short waveband (including UV) reflectance were lower in more frugivorous species [4].
• The data suggest that HP aromatase is characteristic of passeriformes and, as in the HPOA, may represent a mechanism whereby estrogen is made available to neural circuits [5].

References