Relationships among the birds-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae) and bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchidae): Protein evidence

Abstract

Allozyme differentiation was assessed among nine species of paradisaeine birds-of-paradise and nine species of bowerbirds. In all, 26 enzyme systems representing 38 presumptive loci were screened. Both distance and qualitative cladistic analyses were performed. Genetic distances between the birds-of-paradise and the bowerbirds suggest that the two are closely related. Within the birds-of-paradise, genetic differentiation was low but three lineages were recognisable: (1) the manucodes (Manucodia), (2) the riflebirds (Ptiloris) and (3) the remaining paradisaeine genera screened. The data are in accordance with current views on the biogeography of the Australo-Papuan rainforest avifauna. Geneti..