Molecular systematics of the thornbills, Acanthiza

Abstract

Previous classifications of the genus Acanthiza, based upon morphology, are inconsistent, both in the number of species recognised and the inferred relationships among species. This paper provides a phylogeny of the genus based on nuclear DNA sequence data. These data indicate that Acanthiza species can be classified into five species groups. These groups are, in the main, consistent with more recent morphological classifications and with groups defined by mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Further analysis of these mitochondrial data, presented here, provides resolution of some taxonomic problems in this genus. Acanthiza pusilla, A. apicalis and A. katherina are all genetically distinct species, while the only Acanthiza species occurring outside Australia, A. murina, appears most closely related to the A. nana/A. lineata species group.