Systematics and evolution of the Gruiformes (class Aves). 3, Phylogeny of the suborder Grues. Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 151, article 1

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Date

1973

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

New York : [American Museum of Natural History]

DOI

DOI

Abstract

"A comparative analysis of both fossil and Recent species of the suborder Grues of the order Gruiformes is presented here. A phylogeny is proposed for the families studied and is constructed on the premise that monophyletic taxa can be defined only by the recognition of shared, derived character-states. The suborder Grues can be divided into two lineages, the infraorders Ralli and Grui. Two families comprise the Ralli: the Rallidae and Laornithidae. The Grui diverged into two major radiations at the beginning of the Tertiary: (1) the Geranoidea (Geranoididae, Bathornithidae, Idiornithidae), and (2) the Gruoidea (Eogruidae, Ergilornithidae, Gruidae, Aramidae, Psophiidae). The Geranoididae are the most morphologically primitive members of the Grui. The bathornithids and idiornithids share many derived features, presumably inherited from a geranoidid-like ancestor. The ergilornithids were apparently derived from an eogruid-like ancestor. The Gruidae, Aramidae, and Psophiidae form a separate lineage within the Gruoidea, with the last two families having the closest relationship. A new family of the infraorder Ralli, the Laornithidae, is described for the late Cretaceous species Laornis edvardsianus Marsh. The new fossil species described are: Palaeorallus brodkorbi (Rallidae), Quercyrallus quercy (Rallidae), Palaeoaramides minutus (Rallidae), and Idiornis gaillardi (Idiornithidae). Revisions are presented for the pre-Pleistocene extinct genera of the following families: Rallidae, Idiornithidae, Eogruidae, Ergilornithidae, Gruidae, and Aramidae. A number of genera are transferred from one family to another. Various schemes of classification for the Grues are briefly discussed It is suggested that a classification which expresses monophyletic relationships in a strict manner (i.e, dichotomously) is to be preferred"--P. 5.

Description

127 p. : ill. ; 27 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-127).

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