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Tectonic collision and uplift of Wallacea triggered the global songbird radiation

Author

Listed:
  • Robert G. Moyle

    (University of Kansas)

  • Carl H. Oliveros

    (University of Kansas
    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA)

  • Michael J. Andersen

    (University of New Mexico)

  • Peter A. Hosner

    (University of Florida)

  • Brett W. Benz

    (American Museum of Natural History)

  • Joseph D. Manthey

    (University of Kansas)

  • Scott L. Travers

    (University of Kansas)

  • Rafe M. Brown

    (University of Kansas)

  • Brant C. Faircloth

    (Louisiana State University)

Abstract

Songbirds (oscine passerines) are the most species-rich and cosmopolitan bird group, comprising almost half of global avian diversity. Songbirds originated in Australia, but the evolutionary trajectory from a single species in an isolated continent to worldwide proliferation is poorly understood. Here, we combine the first comprehensive genome-scale DNA sequence data set for songbirds, fossil-based time calibrations, and geologically informed biogeographic reconstructions to provide a well-supported evolutionary hypothesis for the group. We show that songbird diversification began in the Oligocene, but accelerated in the early Miocene, at approximately half the age of most previous estimates. This burst of diversification occurred coincident with extensive island formation in Wallacea, which provided the first dispersal corridor out of Australia, and resulted in independent waves of songbird expansion through Asia to the rest of the globe. Our results reconcile songbird evolution with Earth history and link a major radiation of terrestrial biodiversity to early diversification within an isolated Australian continent.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert G. Moyle & Carl H. Oliveros & Michael J. Andersen & Peter A. Hosner & Brett W. Benz & Joseph D. Manthey & Scott L. Travers & Rafe M. Brown & Brant C. Faircloth, 2016. "Tectonic collision and uplift of Wallacea triggered the global songbird radiation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12709
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12709
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    Cited by:

    1. Jordan Douglas & Rong Zhang & Remco Bouckaert, 2021. "Adaptive dating and fast proposals: Revisiting the phylogenetic relaxed clock model," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(2), pages 1-30, February.

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