Abstract
The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of seven species of sea eagles H. albicilla, H. leucocephalus, H. leucoryphus, H. leucogaster, H. sanfordi, H. pelagicus and H. vocifer was amplified by PCR and sequenced (1026 bp). Phylogeny reconstructions by the Maximum Parsimony and Neighbour-Joining methods produced similar trees in which sea eagles represent a monophyletic group. In addition, the clade H. albicilla/H. leucocephalus groups with the clade H. pelagicus/H. leucoryphus in a monophyletic boreal group while H. vocifer clusters with the H. leucogaster/H. sanfordi clade in a monophyletic tropical clade. The nearest relatives of sea eagles are the kites (genus Milvus) and buzzards (genus Buteo), whereas ‘booted’ eagles (genus Aquila) and vultures (genera Gyps and Aegypius) have diverged earlier from the accipitrid branch. Honey bussards (genus Pernis) and vultures of the genera Gypaetus and Neophron represent basal taxa of the accipitrid lineage. Falcons, New World vultures and the secretary bird ( Sagittarius) appear in separate clades outside the Accipitridae.
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