WRIGHT, T. F., SCHIRTZINGER, E. E., MATSUMOTO, T., EBERHARD, J. R., GRAVES, G. R., SANCHEZ, J. J., CAPELLI, S., MÜLLER, H., SCHARPEGGE, J. & CHAMBERS, G. K. (2008)

A Multilocus Molecular Phylogeny of the Parrots (Psittaciformes): Support for a Gondwanan Origin during the Cretaceous.

Mol. Biol. Evol. 25 (10): 2141-2156. (Published: 24 July 2008)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msn160

Abstract:

The question of when modern birds (Neornithes) first diversified has generated much debate among avian systematists. Fossil evidence generally supports a Tertiary diversification, whereas estimates based on molecular dating favor an earlier diversification in the Cretaceous period. In this study, we used an alternate approach, the inference of historical biogeographic patterns, to test the hypothesis that the initial radiation of the Order Psittaciformes (the parrots and cockatoos) originated on the Gondwana supercontinent during the Cretaceous. We utilized broad taxonomic sampling (representatives of 69 of the 82 extant genera and 8 outgroup taxa) and multilocus molecular character sampling (3,941 bp from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes cytochrome oxidase I and NADH dehydrogenase 2 and nuclear introns of rhodopsin intron 1, tropomyosin alpha-subunit intron 5, and transforming growth factor ß-2) to generate phylogenetic hypotheses for the Psittaciformes. Analyses of the combined character partitions using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian criteria produced well-resolved and topologically similar trees in which the New Zealand taxa Strigops and Nestor (Psittacidae) were sister to all other psittaciforms and the cockatoo clade (Cacatuidae) was sister to a clade containing all remaining parrots (Psittacidae). Within this large clade of Psittacidae, some traditionally recognized tribes and subfamilies were monophyletic (e.g., Arini, Psittacini, and Loriinae), whereas several others were polyphyletic (e.g., Cyclopsittacini, Platycercini, Psittaculini, and Psittacinae). Ancestral area reconstructions using our Bayesian phylogenetic hypothesis and current distributions of genera supported the hypothesis of an Australasian origin for the Psittaciformes. Separate analyses of the timing of parrot diversification constructed with both Bayesian relaxed-clock and penalized likelihood approaches showed better agreement between geologic and diversification events in the chronograms based on a Cretaceous dating of the basal split within parrots than the chronograms based on a Tertiary dating of this split, although these data are more equivocal. Taken together, our results support a Cretaceous origin of Psittaciformes in Gondwana after the separation of Africa and the India/Madagascar block with subsequent diversification through both vicariance and dispersal. These well-resolved molecular phylogenies will be of value for comparative studies of behavior, ecology, and life history in parrots.

COHEN, C., WAKELING, J. L., MANDIWANA-NEUDANI, T. G., SANDE, E., DRANZOA, C., CROWE, TI. M., BOWIE, R.C. K. (2012)

Phylogenetic affinities of evolutionarily enigmatic African galliforms: the Stone Partridge Ptilopachus petrosus and Nahan's Francolin Francolinus nahani, and support for their sister relationship with New World quails.

IBIS 154 (4): 768–780 (October 2012)
DOI: 10.1111/j.1474-919X.2012.01269.x

Abstract:

The monotypic Stone Partridge Ptilopachus petrosus (Galliformes: Phasianidae), restricted to arid rocky areas of the northern savanna belt including the Sahel on the southern border of the Sahara Desert, is a taxonomic enigma. Historically, it has been grouped with Asian forest partridges (Galloperdix and Bambusicola spp.). However, recent DNA-based phylogenetic research has suggested that its closest relative is Nahan's Francolin Francolinus nahani, another taxonomically enigmatic African galliform, and a globally threatened, narrow endemic species associated with the interior of remnant primary forests of the eastern equatorial lowlands of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. This hypothesis is investigated in greater detail using additional DNA evidence and information on behaviour and vocalizations. Phylogenetic analyses of the combined sequences from three nuclear and four mitochondrial markers (5554 bases for 84 galliform taxa) overwhelmingly support the sister relationship between F. nahani and P. petrosus. They, in turn, are the distantly related sister taxon of the New World quails (Odontophoridae), and are not related to any other Old World galliform.

HACKETT, S. J., *, KIMBAL, R. T., REDDY, S., BOWIE, R. C. K., BRAUN, E. L., BRAUN, M. J., CHOJNOWSKI, J. L., COX, W. A., HAN, K.-L., HARSHMAN, J., HUDDLESTON, C. J., MARKS, B. D-, MIGLIA, K. J., MOORE, W. S., SHELDON, F. H., STEADMAN, D. W., WITT, C. C. & YURI, T. (2008)

A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History.

Science 320 (5884): 1763-1768 (27. Juni 2008). DOI: 10.1126/science.1157704

Abstract:

Deep avian evolutionary relationships have been difficult to resolve as a result of a putative explosive radiation. Our study examined ∼32 kilobases of aligned nuclear DNA sequences from 19 independent loci for 169 species, representing all major extant groups, and recovered a robust phylogeny from a genome-wide signal supported by multiple analytical methods. We documented well-supported, previously unrecognized interordinal relationships (such as a sister relationship between passerines and parrots) and corroborated previously contentious groupings (such as flamingos and grebes). Our conclusions challenge current classifications and alter our understanding of trait evolution; for example, some diurnal birds evolved from nocturnal ancestors. Our results provide a valuable resource for phylogenetic and comparative studies in birds.

HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World
Volume 1: Non-passerines

ISBN-13: 978-84-96553-94-1
Sprache: Englisch
Format: 31 x 24 cm, gebunden
904 S., 357 Bildtafeln, 8'290 Abbildungen von Vogelarten, 4'428 Verbreitungskarten, 34 ganzseitige Landkarten, 2'126 Literaturstellen.

HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World
Volume 2: Passerines

ISBN-13: 978-84-96553-98-9
Sprache: Englisch
Format: 31 x 24 cm, gebunden
1,013 S., 446 plates,  bird illustrations (including 642 new and 1.208 improved) and  distrib Bildtafeln, 12'629 Abbildungen von  Vogelarten, 6'649 Verbreitungskarten.

Lynx Edicions in Zusammenarbeit mit BirdLife International.

Verlagstext:

The first ever Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World is really two works in one. It is a complete checklist whose taxonomy incorporates the most up-to-date information and an exhaustive methodology (Tobias et al. 2010) in an entirely systematic and consistent way. At the same time, it contains illustrations and distribution maps for every bird species in the world. This includes the original artwork from the HBW series, as well as hundreds of new illustrations, all in two compact volumes.

del hoyo-biblio

Elk Distribution in Mexico: A Critical Review.

Wildlife Society Bulletin 31, No. 4 (Winter, 2003), pp. 1272-1276
Published by: Wiley
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3784478

Abstract:

Several authors have reported that elk (Cervus elaphus) were historically distributed in Mexico. The reported distribution was based upon an old report of an observation in 1892, on bones excavated from one archaeological site, and on the interpretation of old Spanish documents. We critically evaluated evidence for elk having been historically distributed in Mexico. Translations of old documents and confusion in the use of common names have played an important role in the interpretation that elk historically occurred in Mexico. The elk remains excavated in an archaeological cave site in Cuatrocienegas was the only specimen ever reported in Mexico. An examination of these purported elk remains indicated that they were misidentified, leaving no physical evidence for the presence of elk in Mexico. Historical biogeography suggested that by the late Holocene the southernmost elk distribution was in Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Texas. Available information indicated that elk have never occurred naturally in Mexico.

Elk Distribution in Mexico: A Critical Review. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261826126_Elk_Distribution_in_Mexico_A_Critical_Review [accessed Apr 17 2018].

Die Familie der Warane (Varanidae) Teil 1-3.

Abh. Senck. Natufor. Ges. 462-466. Frankfurt / Main.

1997 erschien die Abhandlung als Taschenbuch im Chimaira-Verlag.

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Böhme, Bonn, hat eine ausführliche Übersicht der rezenten validen Arten und eine vergleichende Nomenklatur angefügt, so dass das Standardwerk von Mertens auch wieder einen hohen aktuellen Wert hat. Nachdem Teile des Werkes schon kurz nach Erscheinen wegen der hohen Nachfrage nachgedruckt wurden, sind die Teile 1 und 2 schon seit mehreren Jahren vergriffen und antiquarisch entsprechend teuer. Die Auflage ist numeriert und auf 500 Exemplare limitiert.

mertens-biblio

06.04.2013 - 1'838

Aktuelles zur Taxonomie und Systematik asiatischer Grubenottern.

TERRARIA elaphe Heft 1/2012: 52-61.

gumprecht-biblio

Island Populations, Human Introductions and the Limitations of Genetic Analyses: the Case of the Sardinian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus).

Human Evolution (2006) 21: 177–183. DOI 10.1007/s11598-006-9012-y

Abstract:

The Corsican red deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus) is endemic to the Tyrrhenian islands of Corsica and Sardinia. It has been regarded as an introduced species and has allegedly been present on the islands since the beginning of the Neolithic culture some 8,000 years ago. In this review, we present the results of relevant genetic analyses and discuss their implications for the origin of C. e. corsicanus. Different genetic studies hypothesize that the most probable ancestral populations for Sardianian red deer were alternatively, the Near East, North Africa, or mainland Italy. These respective scenarios are evaluated and it is concluded that geneticists have not yet been unable to definitively solve the problem. However, a natural colonization of the Tyrrhenian islands from mainland Italy via the Tuscan archipelago is not only in accordance with palaeontological findings but also with at least some of the genetic data.

Handbook of the Mammals of the World.

Vol. I - Carnivora.

728 Seiten, 36 Farbtafeln, 561 Farbforos und 258 Verbreitungskarten.
Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 978-84-96553-49-1.
Veröffentlicht in Zusammenarbeit mit Conservation International und IUCN.
Mit einem Vorwort von Russell A. MITTERMEIER und eine Einführung in die Klasse der Säugetiere von Don E. WILSON

Behandelte Familien und Autoren:

Nandiniidae: Philippe Gaubert
Felidae: Mel E. Sunquist & Fiona C. Sunquist
Prionodontidae: Philippe Gaubert
Viverridae: Andrew P. Jennings & Geraldine Veron
Hyaenidae: Kay E. Holekamp & Joseph M. Kolowski
Herpestidae: Jason S. Gilchrist, A. P. Jennings, G. Veron, & P. Cavallini (Coordinator)
Eupleridae: Steven M. Goodman
Canidae: Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
Ursidae: David L. Garshelis
Ailuridae: Fuwen Wei & Zejun Zhang
Procyonidae: Roland Kays
Mephitidae: Jerry W. Dragoo
Mustelidae: Serge Larivière & Andrew P. Jennings

Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 2: Hoofed Animals.

WILSON, D. E. & MITTERMEIER, R.A. eds. (2011)

Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 978-84-96553-77-4.

Handbook of the Mammals of the World -Volume 3: Primates.

MITTERMEIER, R.A., RYLANDS, A.B. & WILSON, D.E. (2013)

Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 978-84-96553-89-7.

Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol. 4 - Sea Mammals.

614 Seiten, 30 Farbtafeln, 667 Farbfotos, 147 Verbreitungskarten.
Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 978-84-96553-93-4.

Mit einem Sonderkapitel über den Schutz von Meeressäugern von Roderic B. MAST, Nataly CASTELBLANCO-MARTÍNEZ und Arlo H. HEMPHILL.

Inhalt:

Marine mammals include some of the most fascinating animals on Earth. Large, majestic whales and stunning, playful dolphins have provided mysterious companionship to humans at sea for hundreds of years. These magical creatures, along with the equally fascinating manatees, dugongs, seals, sea lions, and walrusses, have developed a completely different set of adaptations from their terrestrial ancestors and relatives. Volume 4 of the HMW series provides complete accounts of all species and families in these important groups. Lavishly illustrated with colour photographs showing different behaviours of all of them, the text contains the latest up-to-date information on all families of sea mammals.

Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 5: Monotremes and Marsupials.

WILSON, D. E. & MITTERMEIER, R. A. ed. (2015)

800 Seiten, 44 Farbtafeln, 717 Farbfotos, 375 Verbreitungskarten.
Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN-13: 978-84-96553-99-6.

Introduction:

Volume 5 of the Handbook of Mammals of the World (HMW) covers 21 families in eight orders. Monotremes and Marsupials have been grouped together traditionally, and we continue that by treating them together in this volume. Monotremes retain primitive characteristics such as egg-laying and are traditionally placed in a separate subclass of mammals, Prototheria. As with much of mammalian phylogeny, monotreme taxonomy is in a state of flux and some would split the order into two. However, there remains considerable support for recognizing three separate groups of living mammals, the Monotremata in Prototheria, the orders constituting the marsupials in Metatheria, and the placentals in Eutheria.

We begin the volume with a special chapter on extinct marsupials because this is a topic of considerable interest. The last century has seen a number of species go extinct, and because we do not normally include extinct species in HMW, we felt it important to consider these forms along with their living relatives.

As with almost all groups of mammals, there is continuing controversy over the classification of the orders traditionally grouped as marsupials. We follow the arrangement exemplified by the Third Edition of Mammal Species of the World (MSW), published in 2005. However, as with other volumes in the series, we have made several improvements and updates. The views of the authors, all of whom are leading authorities, have been incorporated into this volume. We have included the most recently described species, Massoia’s Lutrine Opossum (Lutreolina massoia), from the montane forests of southern Bolivia and north-western Argentina, and the Black-tailed Antechinus (Antechinus arktos), from a tiny locality in eastern Australia, both described in 2014, as well as ongoing systematic revisions, which continue to add to our knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships of the families covered by this volume. The Systematics section in each family text reviews the ongoing taxonomic work and recent research using new molecular techniques, which has revolutionized our ability to analyze evolutionary relationships.

The monotremes comprise perhaps the most unusual of mammals. Clearly, monotremes diverged from other mammals early on in evolutionary time, and some estimates would place that not long after mammals split from their reptilian ancestors. There is some support for dividing the order into two, with Platypoda for the Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and its fossil relatives, and Tachyglossa for the four species in two genera of echidnas. Attempts at dating the split between these two groups have so far proven difficult to reconcile with the known fossil evidence. All living monotremes are restricted to Australia and New Guinea.

Marsupials are found in both Australia and South America, testifying to their Gondwanaland roots. The largest and most diverse group of South American marsupials is the family Didelphidae (order Didelphimorphia). New World opossums range from southern Canada to Argentina and occupy a wide diversity of habitats. There are forms that are terrestrial, aquatic, arboreal, and scansorial. They have extremely flexible diets, are both hunters and scavengers, and their reproductive systems allow them to be quite good at colonizing new and different habitats.

Caenolestids (order Paucituberculata), sometimes called shrew opossums, with seven species and three genera are small Andean marsupials restricted to higher elevations. Nocturnal and secretive, they are somewhat shrew-like in their habits. They feed on insects, earthworms, and small vertebrates when they can catch them.
The final South American marsupial family, the Monito del Monte of the family Microbiotheriidae (order Microbiotheria), is perhaps the most specialized. There is only a single species of living microbiotheriid, Dromiciops gliroides. Monitos de Monte are the South American group most closely related to the Australian marsupials. They are restricted to temperate rain forests of the southern Andes and frequent bamboo thickets.

The bulk of the volume is devoted to the Australian marsupials, an old and extremely diverse lineage. Once thought to comprise only a single order, we now recognize three orders of New World marsupials (those outlined above), and four orders of Australian marsupials.

Notoryctidae (order Notoryctemorphia) contains the two species of marsupial moles. A lineage dating to around 20 million years ago, they are secretive and poorly understood fossorial counterparts of our more familiar placental moles. They most closely resemble the placental family Chrysochloridae, the golden moles. Blind and lacking external ears, they spend their lives burrowing in the sand of the central Australian deserts.
The order Dasyuromorphia (carnivorous marsupials) contains two living families, plus the extinct Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus). The family Myrmecobiidae contains only the single species Myrmecobius fasciatus, the Numbat, or Marsupial Anteater. Like many of its ecological counterparts among placental forms in other parts of the world, it feeds mainly on termites. Once widespread, this iconic western Australian animal is now an endangered species.

Rounding out the carnivorous marsupial families, the family Dasyuridae with 74 species and 17 genera contains a diverse assemblage of mostly small, rodent-sized carnivores, but ranging in size up to the Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii). With both arboreal and terrestrial forms, the family consists mostly of long-bodied, short-legged species with pointed snouts and long, well-furred tails. They occur in habitats ranging from arid areas in Australian to rainforests in New Guinea, and feed on a variety of invertebrates and small vertebrates.

The two living families of Peramelemorphia include the Thylacomyidae and the Peramelidae. The single surviving species of Thylacomyid, the Greater Bilby (Macrotis lagotis), is a big-eared, long-tailed denizen of the desert that is basically omnivorous. As with many other formerly widespread species, the Greater Bilby is now an endangered species.

With 18 species in six genera, Peramelidae clearly is the more diverse family of peramelemorphs. Occurring in both Australia and New Guinea, they occupy a wide range of habitats ranging from very dry to very wet. Bandicoots are small omnivores, eating a variety of small vertebrates and insects, as well as plant matter.

The largest and most diverse order of marsupials is the Diprotodontia, with eleven families. The family Phascolarctidae, contains only the single species Phascolarctos cinereus, the iconic Koala. Koalas are found along the coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia, where they inhabit eucalypt forests. Arboreal herbivores, their diet consists mainly of eucalypt leaves. Their closest relatives are the wombats.
Vombatidae, the wombats, comprises three species in two genera. All are short and stocky, with short tails and small ears. They are impressive burrowers, using short, broad feet with strong, flat claws to construct complicated burrow systems. They are found in a variety of habitats mainly in south-eastern Australia, Tasmania, and Queensland.

Pygmy possums in the family Burramyidae are divided into five species in two genera. Four of the species are restricted to Australia and Tasmania, and one ranges into New Guinea. Burramys parvus, the Mountain Pygmy Possum, a high-elevation form from the mountains of New South Wales and Victoria, is the only marsupial known to hibernate. Arboreal and scansorial, pygmy possums are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of small insects, fruits, nectar, and pollen.

Phalangeridae consists of 29 species in six genera. Cuscuses and brush-tailed possums are mostly arboreal, and the diverse assemblage includes species that range from eucalypt woodlands to the rainforests of New Guinea and surrounding islands. They are mainly medium-sized, with elongated bodies, short legs, and long tails, most of which are prehensile. Omnivorous, they feed on a wide variety of both plant and animal life.
The family Pseudocheiridae, Ring-tailed Possums and Greater Gliders, consists of 20 species in five genera. They are slightly larger versions of pygmy possums, and all but one have prehensile tails. They are arboreal and scansorial, and most are specialized leaf-eaters. They are wide-ranging, found in forested regions of both Australia and New Guinea.

The twelve species in three genera of the family Petauridae, Striped Possums, Leadbeater’s Possum, and Lesser Gliders, are all striking looking possums with facial and dorsal stripes. They occur in both Australia and New Guinea in a variety of forests. Most are gliders, with enlarged gliding membranes and prehensile tails. They have a variety of feeding habits, including both the sap of trees, and insects. Some are known to extract insects in a manner similar to the Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) in Madagascar.

The monotypic family Tarsipedidae consists only of the single species Tarsipes rostratus, the Honey Possum. This tiny arboreal glider is the sole survivor of an ancient lineage. It has three dorsal stripes, a long pointed snout, and teeth that are reduced to pegs. They are restricted to south-western Australia, where they use their brush-tipped tongue to feed on nectar and pollen of a variety of flowers.

The family Acrobatidae consists of three species in two genera, and has representatives in both Australia and New Guinea. Feather-tailed gliders and possums are specialists on pollen and nectar, like their relative Tarsipes. The name feather-tailed refers to horizontal, stiff hairs on the tail that likely help in gliding.

The family Hypsiprimnodontidae has a very restricted distribution in the rainforests of far north-eastern Australia. The single surviving species, the Musky Rat Kangaroo (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus) is a smaller, perhaps more primitive version of the larger kangaroos. Somewhat unusual in being diurnal, it feeds on a variety of fruits and insects.
The eight species in three genera belonging to the family Potoroidae are medium-sized, brown, hopping marsupials resembling small wallabies called Bettongs or Potoroos. They tend to feed mainly on tubers and underground fungi, but also take seeds and some insects from the surface as well. They are found in both Australia and Tasmania.
Finally, the family Macropodidae contains the 59 species in 13 genera of kangaroos and wallabies. This diverse and speciose group occurs in both Australia and New Guinea. These are the iconic large, hopping marsupials readily identified with the continent of Australia. Macropod means long foot, and appropriate name for these animals that use their elongated hindfeet in a specialized hopping locomotion. They also have large, muscular tails that help to provide a tripod when standing on their hindfeet.

Altogether, the assemblage contained in this volume includes an amazing variety of animals adapted to the island continent and nearby islands, as well as a few groups still found in South America. Marsupials provide the best-known examples of convergent evolution, with species of marsupials evolving to look and behave like their placental counterparts who do similar things on other continents. In addition, there are species found in this remarkable radiation that have no counterparts anywhere in the world. Such a unique fauna rightly deserves its own volume.

Don Wilson

Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 6: Lagomorphs and Rodents I.

WILSON, D. E., LACHER, T. E. & MITTERMEIER, R. A. (2016)

987 Seiten, 60 Farbtafeln, 735 Farbfotos, 850 Verbreitungskarten
Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN-13: 978-84-941892-3-4

Verlagstext:

Rats and mice and their relatives in the order Rodentia make up almost half of the species of mammals. Because of this, we polled our readers and the overwhelming positive response was to produce two volumes treating Rodents. Volume 6 will include all of the families of rodents other than Cricetidae and Muridae, plus the order Lagomorpha, which includes rabbits and pikas. This radiation includes some 35 families, which have spread around the globe, occupying every continent except Antarctica, and countless islands in all major oceans. As usual, the text includes up-to-date information on every species, and each species is illustrated. Each family account includes color photographs documenting a variety of behaviors of these diverse and interesting mammals.

This volume also includes a Special Chapter: An overview of rodents, including chapters on morphology, taxonomy, and evolutionary history; why rodents are studied; and tools for studying them.

wilson-biblio

Zur Morphologie des Sichlings Pelecus cultratus (LINNAEUS), (Pisces: Cyprinidae).

Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 97B: 421 -435.

Zusammenfassung:

In  dieser Arbeit werden morphologische Merkmale von Pelecus cultratus (LINNAEUS) aus dem Donaueinzugsgebiet beschrieben. Anhand  von  gefrorenem  und alkoholfixiertem  Material vom Neusiedler See konnte der Einfluß der Konservierung auf bestimmte morphometrische Merkmale aufgezeigt werden. Im Vergleich des alkoholfixierten Materials vom Neusiedler See, der Donau bei Wien (Österreich) und dem Donaudelta (Rumänien) lassen sich morphologische Unterschiede vor allem auf allometrische Veränderungen während des Wachstums zurückführen. Im Vergleich des bearbeiteten Materials mit Literaturdaten verschiedener anderer Sichlingspopulationen zeigen sowohl die  morphometrischen als auch die numerischen Merkmale vielfach deutliche Unterschiede.