Pelecanae I

The 44 Orders

Paleognaths

Galloanserae

Metaves

Pelecanae

Charadriae

Passerae

CORONAVES

Fain and Houde (2004) dubbed the remaining birds Coronaves. Succeeding analysis by Ericson et al. (2006b) and Hackett et al. (2008) have modifed the membership of Coronaves, but the basic relationship remains. One of the major groups in Coronaves includes a number of mostly aquatic and semi-aquatic birds, along with cuckoos and turacos. Earlier versions of this list have referred to this group used the old term ‘Natatores’, but Pelecanae seems a better choice.

PELECANAE

OPISTHOCOMIFORMES

The Opisthocomiformes contain a single species, the Hoatzin. A long list of bird families have been considered its closest relatives, including seriemas, cuckoos, turacos, rails, doves, and others. The lack of any close relatives justifies placing it in its own order. Fain and Houde (2004) and Ericson et al. considered it part of Metaves. I follow Hackett et al's (2008) analysis, which puts it basal in the first part of Coronaves, but with considerable uncertainty. We know it branches off early somewhere in Neoaves, but exactly where cannot be pinned down with confidence.

Opisthocomidae: Hoatzin

1 genus, 1 species HBW-3

The remaining Pelecanae split into two groups: an un-named clade that includes the cranes, cuckoos, and bustards, and a clade containing the turacos and Pelecanimorphae. This page covers the first part, the rest are on the next page.

OTIDIFORMES

The bustards have been reorganized using Pitra et al. (2002). They sequenced all the bustards except for two of the Heterotetrax, vigorsii and humilis and Barrow's Korhaan, Eupodotis barrowii. Based on their results, I have merged Neotis into Ardeotis (which has priority) and separated Heterotetrax from Eupodotis. Those three species have sometimes been considered a separate genus under this name.

Otididae: Bustards

11 genera, 27 species HBW-3

CUCULIFORMES

There is no real question that the cuckoos form a clade. The Cuculiformes are placed here following Hackett et al. (2008).

Cuculidae: Cuckoos

32 genera, 147 species HBW-4

Very complete information is available on cuckoo taxonomy. Sorenson and Payne (2005) carried out a very extensive study of Cuckoo DNA. The result is the sequence used in Payne's book (2005). After adjusting the species limits for a couple of couas, it is the same sequence that is used here. Click on the graphic below for the genus-level tree.

Crotophaginae: Anis

Neomorphinae: Ground-Cuckoos, Roadrunners

Couinae: Couas

Centropodinae: Coucals

Cuculinae: Cuckoos

GRUIFORMES

All sorts of taxa have been previously been included in the Gruiformes, which seemed to serve as a waste-bin taxon. The Metavian mesites, kagu, and sunbittern have been considered Gruiformes. This version of the Gruiformes is a more coherent clade. The family order is based on Fain et al. (2007). Mayr (2008) discusses both DNA and morphological support for this clade.

Psophiidae: Trumpeters

1 genus, 3 species HBW-3

Aramidae: Limpkin

1 genus, 1 species HBW-3

Gruidae: Cranes

2 genera, 15 species HBW-3

The basic structure of the crane family has been known for some time. The cranes fall into two genera, Balearica and Grus, which are sometimes also considered subfamilies. Some authors have placed some of the Grus cranes in other genera, but for two decades the genetic data has shown these other genera are embedded in Grus. This was already visible in the DNA hybridization analysis of Krajewski (1989). It was even clearer in the cytochrome-b analysis of Krajewski and Fetzner (1994). Fain, Krajewski, and Houde (2007) refine this in a multi-gene analysis. The most recent analysis is that of Krajewski et al. (2010). They use the complete mitochondrial genome, and their analysis is followed here.

Heliornithidae: Finfoots

3 genera, 3 species HBW-3

Sarothruridae: Flufftails

1 genus, 9 species Not HBW Family

Other rail genera, including Canirallus and Rallicula, may also belong to the Sarothruridae. There have been suggestions these should be separated in a separate family since Sibley and Ahlquist (1985). Hackett et al. (2008) found the flufftails sister to the finfoots. All this needs a comprehensive molecular review, which the rails have not had (but see Slikas et al., 2002).

This list treats the Common Gallinule, Gallinula galeata and Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus, as separate species. Groenenberg et al. (2008) found that the Common Moorhen is more closely related to the Gough Moorhen, Gallinula comeri, and the extinct Tristan da Cunha Moorhen, Gallinula nesiotis, than to the Common Gallinule. The relationships of the rest of Gallinula have not been subject to genetic testing.

Rallidae: Rails, Gallinules, Coots

33 genera, 140 species HBW-3

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