Estrildinae Finches (Aves, Passeriformes) from Africa, South Asia and Australia: a Molecular Phylogeographic Study

Abstract

Estrildid finches are distributed throughout Africa, South Asia, Australia and neighbouring islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Some specific phylogenetic and systematic debated questions have been clarified in the present study by mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequencing of 61 species of Estrildids and subsequent analyses of results by both Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood methodologies. Our results support that Estrildids are a monophyletic group with polytomies that may have started evolving by Middle Miocene Epoch (about 16, 5 million years ago). This proposed timing is coincidental with the Fringillinae finches' radiation starting time and also with the biggest Hymalayan and Ti- betan Plateau uplift, triggered by the Indian tectonic plate strongest collision; this established present day southern Asia monsoon regime and other drastic climatic changes, like a dryer weather in Tibetan Plateau and China deserts. The Estrildid finches form a monophyletic group which includes several polytomies and comprises African, Asian and Austra- lian birds. The most ancient evolutive group comprises African (African silverbill), Asian (Indian silverbill) and Austra- lian (diamond firetail); this suggests that the whole Estrildids radiation might have originated around India.More Estrildid species will be studied in order to further establish this group phylogeography. In addition, monophyletic radiations in- clude species from different Continents. Finally, Ploceinae Genus Quelea finches is a group separate and basal from Estrildini and Viduini species in our dendrograms.