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The recent influx of genomic data has provided greater insights into the molecular basis for regressive evolution, or vestigialization, through gene loss and pseudogenization. As such, the analysis of gene degradation patterns has the potential to provide insights into the evolutionary history of regressed anatomical traits. We specifically applied these principles to the xenarthran radiation (anteaters, sloths, armadillos), which is characterized by taxa with a gradation in regressed dental phenotypes. Whether the pattern among extant xenarthrans is due to an ancient and gradual decay of dental morphology or occurred repeatedly in parallel is unknown. We tested these competing hypotheses by examining 11 core dental genes in most living species of Xenarthra, characterizing shared inactivating mutations and patterns of relaxed selection during their radiation. Here we report evidence of independent and distinct events of dental gene loss in the major xenarthran subclades. First, we found strong evidence of complete enamel loss in the common ancestor of sloths and anteaters, suggested by the inactivation of five enamel-associated genes (AMELX, AMTN, MMP20, ENAM, ACP4). Next, whereas dental regression appears to have halted in sloths, presumably a critical event that ultimately permitted adaptation to an herbivorous lifestyle, anteaters continued losing genes on the path towards complete tooth loss. Echoes of this event are recorded in the genomes of all living anteaters, being marked by a 2-bp deletion in a gene critical for dentinogenesis (DSPP) and a putative shared 1-bp insertion in a gene linked to tooth retention (ODAPH). By contrast, in the two major armadillo clades, genes pertaining to the dento-gingival junction and amelogenesis appear to have been independently inactivated prior to losing all or some enamel. These genomic data provide evidence for multiple pathways and rates of anatomical regression, and underscore the utility of using pseudogenes to reconstruct evolutionary history when fossils are sparse.

Rails are a phenotypically diverse family of birds that includes 130 species and displays a wide distribution around the world. Here we present annotated genome assemblies for four rails from Aotearoa New Zealand: two native volant species, pūkeko Porphyrio melanotus and mioweka Gallirallus philippensis, and two endemic flightless species takahē Porphyrio hochstetteri and weka Gallirallus australis. Using the sequence read data, heterozygosity was found to be lowest in the endemic flightless species and this probably reflects their relatively small populations. The quality checks and comparison with other rallid genomes showed that the new assemblies were of good quality. This study significantly increases the number of available rallid genomes and will enable future genomic studies on the evolution of this family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many avian species endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand were driven to extinction or reduced to relict populations following successive waves of human arrival, due to hunting, habitat destruction and the introduction of mammalian predators. Among the affected species were the large flightless South Island takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri) and the moho (North Island takahē; P. mantelli), with the latter rendered extinct and the former reduced to a single relictual population. Little is known about the evolutionary history of these species prior to their decline and/or extinction. Here we sequenced mitochondrial genomes from takahē and moho subfossils (12 takahē and 4 moho) and retrieved comparable sequence data from takahē museum skins (n = 5) and contemporary individuals (n = 17) to examine the phylogeny and recent evolutionary history of these species. Our analyses suggest that prehistoric takahē populations lacked deep phylogeographic structure, in contrast to moho, which exhibited significant spatial genetic structure, albeit based on limited sample sizes (n = 4). Temporal genetic comparisons show that takahē have lost much of their mitochondrial genetic diversity, likely due to a sudden demographic decline soon after human arrival (~750 years ago). Time‐calibrated phylogenetic analyses strongly support a sister species relationship between takahē and moho, suggesting these flightless taxa diverged around 1.5 million years ago, following a single colonisation of New Zealand by a flighted Porphyrio ancestor approximately 4 million years ago. This study highlights the utility of palaeogenetic approaches for informing the conservation and systematic understanding of endangered species whose ranges have been severely restricted by anthropogenic impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little Spotted Kiwi (LSK; Apteryx owenii) have the lowest genetic diversity of five currently recognised kiwi species apparently due to a bottleneck when at most five individuals were translocated to Kapiti Island in 1912. Ancient DNA analyses show that LSK also had the lowest genetic diversity of kiwi species historically, possibly due to population bottlenecks during Pleistocene glaciation. We compare genetic diversity between LSK from Kapiti Island (extant), D'Urville Island (extinct) and the South Island of mainland New Zealand (extinct) at 495 bp of the mitochondrial control region (mtDNA) and 15 nuclear microsatellite loci (nDNA). Despite higher sample sizes in extant (n = 31 mtDNA, 97 nDNA) than recently extinct (n = 10 mtDNA, 9 nDNA) populations, extant LSK have at least 78% fewer mtDNA haplotypes and 52% fewer microsatellite alleles than recently extinct LSK. Extant LSK were strongly divergent from historical LSK for both mtDNA and nDNA (FST = 0.237 to 0.480), but showed greatest similarity with historical samples from Fiordland near the putative source population of Kapiti founders. Microsatellite data suggest that Kapiti LSK could have arisen from as few as three birds and our mtDNA data show that at least two of the founders were female. Our results indicate that substantial genetic diversity has been lost with the recent extinctions of remnant populations. Locating and protecting any last surviving individuals in presumed extinct populations will require intensive conservation efforts, but could also provide an invaluable source of genetic diversity for the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physiological demands of flight exert strong selection pressure on avian morphology and so it is to be expected that the evolutionary loss of flight capacity would involve profound changes in traits. Here, we investigate morphological consequences of flightlessness in a bird family where the condition has evolved repeatedly. The Rallidae include more than 130 recognized species of which over 30 are flightless. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic data were used here to compare species with and without the ability to fly in order to determine major phenotypic effects of the transition from flighted to flightless. We find statistical support for similar morphological response among unrelated flightless lineages, characterized by a shift in energy allocation from the forelimbs to the hindlimbs. Indeed, flightless birds exhibit smaller sterna and wings than flighted taxa in the same family along with wider pelves and more robust femora. Phylogenetic signal tests demonstrate that those differences are independent of phylogeny and instead demonstrate convergent morphological adaptation associated with a walking ecology. We found too that morphological variation was greater among flightless rails than flighted ones, suggesting that relaxation of physiological demands during the transition to flightlessness frees morphological traits to evolve in response to more varied ecological opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionary significance of spatial habitat gaps has been well recognized since Alfred Russel Wallace compared the faunas of Bali and Lombok. Gaps between islands influence population structuring of some species, and flightless birds are expected to show strong partitioning even where habitat gaps are narrow. We examined the population structure of the most numerous living flightless land bird in New Zealand, Weka ( Gallirallus australis). We surveyed Weka and their feather lice in native and introduced populations using genetic data gathered from DNA sequences of mitochondrial genes and nuclear β-fibrinogen and five microsatellite loci. We found low genetic diversity among extant Weka population samples. Two genetic clusters were evident in the mt DNA from Weka and their lice, but partitioning at nuclear loci was less abrupt. Many formerly recognized subspecies/species were not supported; instead, we infer one subspecies for each of the two main New Zealand islands. Although currently range restricted, North Island Weka have higher mt DNA diversity than the more wide-ranging southern Weka. Mismatch and neutrality statistics indicate North Island Weka experienced rapid and recent population reduction, while South Island Weka display the signature of recent expansion. Similar haplotype data from a widespread flying relative of Weka and other New Zealand birds revealed instances of North Island-South Island partitioning associated with a narrow habitat gap (Cook Strait). However, contrasting patterns indicate priority effects and other ecological factors have a strong influence on spatial exchange at this scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xenarthra (armadillos, sloths, and anteaters) constitutes one of the four major clades of placental mammals. Despite their phylogenetic distinctiveness in mammals, a reference phylogeny is still lacking for the 31 described species. Here we used Illumina shotgun sequencing to assemble 33 new complete mitochondrial genomes, establishing Xenarthra as the first major placental clade to be fully sequenced at the species level for mitogenomes. The resulting data set allowed the reconstruction of a robust phylogenetic framework and timescale that are consistent with previous studies conducted at the genus level using nuclear genes. Incorporating the full species diversity of extant xenarthrans points to a number of inconsistencies in xenarthran systematics and species definition. We propose to split armadillos into two distinct families Dasypodidae (dasypodines) and Chlamyphoridae (euphractines, chlamyphorines, and tolypeutines) to better reflect their ancient divergence, estimated around 42 Ma. Species delimitation within long-nosed armadillos (genus Dasypus) appeared more complex than anticipated, with the discovery of a divergent lineage in French Guiana. Diversification analyses showed Xenarthra to be an ancient clade with a constant diversification rate through time with a species turnover driven by high but constant extinction. We also detected a significant negative correlation between speciation rate and past temperature fluctuations with an increase in speciation rate corresponding to the general cooling observed during the last 15 My. Biogeographic reconstructions identified the tropical rainforest biome of Amazonia and the Guiana Shield as the cradle of xenarthran evolutionary history with subsequent dispersions into more open and dry habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passerines are the largest avianorder, and the 6,000 species comprisemore thanhalfof all extant bird species. This successful radiation probably had its origin in the Australasian region, but dating this origin has been difficult due to a scarce fossil record and poor biogeographic assumptions. Many of New Zealand's endemic passerines fall within the deeper branches of the passerine radiation, and a well resolved phylogeny for the modern New Zealand element in the deeper branches of the oscine lineage will help us understand both oscine and passerine biogeography. To this end we present complete mitochondrial genomes representing all families of New Zealand passerines in a phylogenetic framework of over 100 passerine species. Dating analyses of this robust phylogeny suggest Passeriformes originated in the early Paleocene, with the major lineages of oscines "escaping" from Australasia about 30 Ma, and radiating throughout the world during the Oligocene. This independently derived conclusion is consistent with the passerine fossil record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sufficient breadth of taxon sampling in major organisms groups is important to identify more realistic biological diversification processes that reveal the degree of historical biogeographic signal and net diversification retained in the current lineage distribution. We examine the mechanisms driving diversity in one of the major avian clades with an exceptional large-scale radiation, the family Rallidae, using the most complete species-level (∼70%) time calibrated hypothesis of evolutionary relationships produced to date. We find that Rallidae exhibit a pattern of diversification involving episodes of range expansion and regional speciation that results in most clades represented in all habitable continents. Our results suggest that several features may have played an important role on the diversification rates in Rallidae. Lineage accumulation is nearly constant and morphology (frontal shield and body size), innovate (flightlessness), habitat (forest) and distribution (insular) traits are possibly associated with increasing diversification rates along with spatial and ecological processes during the Miocene and Pliocene. Diversification and the global retention of lineage diversity have occurred in multiple lineages in Rallidae due to their dispersal ability and exploitation of ecological opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central to our understanding of the timing of bird evolution is debate about an apparent conflict between fossil and molecular data. A deep age for higher level taxa within Neoaves is evident from molecular analyses but much remains to be learned about the age of diversification in modern bird families and their evolutionary ecology. In order to better understand the timing and pattern of diversification within the family Rallidae we used a relaxed molecular clock, fossil calibrations, and complete mitochondrial genomes from a range of rallid species analysed in a Bayesian framework. The estimated time of origin of Rallidae is Eocene, about 40.5 Mya, with evidence of intrafamiliar diversification from the Late Eocene to the Miocene. This timing is older than previously suggested for crown group Rallidae, but fossil calibrations, extent of taxon sampling and substantial sequence data give it credence. We note that fossils of Eocene age tentatively assigned to Rallidae are consistent with our findings. Compared to available studies of other bird lineages, the rail clade is old and supports an inference of deep ancestry of ground-dwelling habits among Neoaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report three new avian mitochondrial genomes, two from widely separated groups of owls and a falcon relative (the Secretarybird). We then report additional progress in resolving Neoavian relationships in that the two groups of owls do come together (it is not just long-branch attraction), and the Secretarybird is the deepest divergence on the Accipitridae lineage. This isnow agreed between mitochondrial and nuclear sequences. There is no evidence for the monophyly of the combined three groups of raptors (owls, eagles, and falcons), and again this is agreed by nuclear andmitochondrial sequences. All three groups (owls, accipitrids [eagles], and falcons) do appear to be members of the "higher land birds," and though there may not yet be full "consilience" between mitochondrial and nuclear sequences for the precise order of divergences of the eagles, falcons, and the owls, there is good progress on their relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Mitochondrial genome analyses of Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes and allies. [•] Group has occupied a water carnivore role for tens of millions of years. [•] Most comprehensive analysis of water-carnivores and relatives to date. [•] Diverged from shorebird water-carnivores about 70Ma, before the K/Pg boundary. [•] Good phylogenetic agreement between nuclear and mitochondrial data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marsupial genus Macropus includes three subgenera, the familiar large grazing kangaroos and wallaroos of M. (Macropus) and M. (Osphranter), as well as the smaller mixed grazing/browsing wallabies of M. (Notamacropus). A recent study of five concatenated nuclear genes recommended subsuming the predominantly browsing Wallabia bicolor (swamp wallaby) into Macropus. To further examine this proposal we sequenced partial mitochondrial genomes for kangaroos and wallabies. These sequences strongly favour the morphological placement of W. bicolor as sister to Macropus, although place M. irma (black-gloved wallaby) within M. (Osphranter) rather than as expected, with M. (Notamacropus). Species tree estimation from separately analysed mitochondrial and nuclear genes favours retaining Macropus and Wallabia as separate genera. A simulation study finds that incomplete lineage sorting among nuclear genes is a plausible explanation for incongruence with the mitochondrial placement of W. bicolor, while mitochondrial introgression from a wallaroo into M. irma is the deepest such event identified in marsupials. Similar such coalescent simulations for interpreting gene tree conflicts will increase in both relevance and statistical power as species-level phylogenetics enters the genomic age. Ecological considerations in turn, hint at a role for selection in accelerating the fixation of introgressed or incompletely sorted loci. More generally the inclusion of the mitochondrial sequences substantially enhanced phylogenetic resolution. However, we caution that the evolutionary dynamics that enhance mitochondria as speciation indicators in the presence of incomplete lineage sorting may also render them especially susceptible to introgression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phylogenetics explores the continuum of shallower to deeper genetic divergences between taxa. Along this continuum increasing lengths of DNA sequence can be used to answer deeper and deeper questions about biological relationships. We use shorter, and then longer mitochondrial DNA sequences to address two aspects of pigeon evolution. Firstly, we examine the phylogenetic relationships of the eight genera within the South Pacific Ducula–Ptilinopus radiation, and examine how this radiation fits into pigeons generally. Within Ducula, taxa are closely related, whereas Ptilinopus is very diverse, and paraphyletic. One third of all pigeon species are within the Ducula–Ptilinopus radiation, however all are very similar ecologically. Secondly, we study the deeper phylogenetic question regarding the relationship of pigeons to other birds. To this end, we report the complete mitochondrial genome of Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae, a member of the Ducula–Ptilinopus radiation. We use this mitochondrial genome, along with additional sandgrouse (Pterocles namaqua) mitochondrial genes to assess various candidates for the closest relative of pigeons. Of parrots, shorebirds, and sandgrouse, we find highest support for the sandgrouse–pigeon grouping. Furthermore in these analyses the pigeon and sandgrouse group closer to the falcons than any other included taxon. The finding that pigeons and sandgrouse may be more closely related to falcons than to previous candidates such as shorebirds or parrots invites further investigation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The avifauna of New Zealand is taxonomically and ecologically distinctive, as is typical of island biotas. However, the potential for an old geological age of New Zealand has encouraged a popular notion of a ‘Moa’s ark’ based on the idea that much of the fauna was isolated when Zealandia broke from Gondwana c. 83 million years ago. Molecular phylogenetics has proved useful for exploring the relative importance of different biogeographical processes, revealing for example that ‘tramp’ species (widely dispersing taxa) have arrived in New Zealand even in the last few hundred years, and that some avian taxa have close phylogenetic relatives overseas (predominantly Australian), indicating their recent ancestors were tramps, too. Distinctive taxa with deep phylogenetic ancestry might be ‘vicars’ that owe their presence to vicariance, but lack of close morphological, taxonomic and phylogenetic affinity provides only tenuous evidence for this. Disproving the alternative possibility that apparent vicars are descended from tramps that dispersed in earlier times remains challenging, but molecular analyses have yielded startling insights. Among New Zealand’s iconic taxa, the world’s largest eagle shared a Pleistocene ancestor with a small Australian eagle, and giant, flightless moa are phylogenetic sisters of the much smaller, flying tinamous of South America. The New Zealand avifauna is neither isolated nor stable, but demonstrative of prolonged and ongoing colonization, speciation and extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise estimations of molecular rates are fundamental to our understanding of the processes of evolution. In principle, mutation and evolutionary rates for neutral regions of the same species are expected to be equal. However, a number of recent studies have shown that mutation rates estimated from pedigree material are much faster than evolutionary rates measured over longer time periods. To resolve this apparent contradiction, we have examined the hypervariable region (HVR I) of the mitochondrial genome using families of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) from the Antarctic. We sequenced 344 bps of the HVR I from penguins comprising 508 families with 915 chicks, together with both their parents. All of the 62 germline heteroplasmies that we detected in mothers were also detected in their offspring, consistent with maternal inheritance. These data give an estimated mutation rate (μ) of 0.55 mutations/site/Myrs (HPD 95% confidence interval of 0.29-0.88 mutations/site/Myrs) after accounting for the persistence of these heteroplasmies and the sensitivity of current detection methods. In comparison, the rate of evolution (k) of the same HVR I region, determined using DNA sequences from 162 known age sub-fossil bones spanning a 37,000-year period, was 0.86 substitutions/site/Myrs (HPD 95% confidence interval of 0.53 and 1.17). Importantly, the latter rate is not statistically different from our estimate of the mutation rate. These results are in contrast to the view that molecular rates are time dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the complete mitochondrial genome (accession number: LK995454) of an iconic Australian species, the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus). The mitogenomic organization is consistent with other marsupials, encoding 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, an origin of light strand replication and a control region or D-loop. No repetitive sequences were detected in the control region. TheM. giganteusmitogenome exemplifies a combination of tRNA gene order and structural peculiarities that appear to be unique to marsupials. We present a maximum likelihood phylogeny based on complete mitochondrial protein and RNA coding sequences that confirms the phylogenetic position of the grey kangaroo among macropodids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Among the fossils of hitherto unknown mammals that Darwin collected in South America between 1832 and 1833 during the Beagle expedition [1] were examples of the large, heavily armored herbivores later known as glyptodonts. Ever since, glyptodonts have fascinated evolutionary biologists because of their remarkable skeletal adaptations and seemingly isolated phylogenetic position even within their natural group, the cingulate xenarthrans (armadillos and their allies [2] ). In possessing a carapace comprised of fused osteoderms, the glyptodonts were clearly related to other cingulates, but their precise phylogenetic position as suggested by morphology remains unresolved [3,4] . To provide a molecular perspective on this issue, we designed sequence-capture baits using in silico reconstructed ancestral sequences and successfully assembled the complete mitochondrial genome of Doedicurus sp., one of the largest glyptodonts. Our phylogenetic reconstructions establish that glyptodonts are in fact deeply nested within the armadillo crown-group, representing a distinct subfamily (Glyptodontinae) within family Chlamyphoridae [5] . Molecular dating suggests that glyptodonts diverged no earlier than around 35 million years ago, in good agreement with their fossil record. Our results highlight the derived nature of the glyptodont morphotype, one aspect of which is a spectacular increase in body size until their extinction at the end of the last ice age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living sloths represent two distinct lineages of small-sized mammals that independently evolved arboreality from terrestrial ancestors. The six extant species are the survivors of an evolutionary radiation marked by the extinction of large terrestrial forms at the end of the Quaternary. Until now, sloth evolutionary history has mainly been reconstructed from phylogenetic analyses of morphological characters. Here, we used ancient DNA methods to successfully sequence 10 extinct sloth mitogenomes encompassing all major lineages. This includes the iconic continental ground sloths Megatherium , Megalonyx , Mylodon , and Nothrotheriops and the smaller endemic Caribbean sloths Parocnus and Acratocnus. Phylogenetic analyses identify eight distinct lineages grouped in three well-supported clades, whose interrelationships are markedly incongruent with the currently accepted morphological topology. We show that recently extinct Caribbean sloths have a single origin but comprise two highly divergent lineages that are not directly related to living two-fingered sloths, which instead group with Mylodon. Moreover, living three-fingered sloths do not represent the sister group to all other sloths but are nested within a clade of extinct ground sloths including Megatherium , Megalonyx , and Nothrotheriops. Molecular dating also reveals that the eight newly recognized sloth families all originated between 36 and 28 million years ago (mya). The early divergence of recently extinct Caribbean sloths around 35 mya is consistent with the debated GAARlandia hypothesis postulating the existence at that time of a biogeographic connection between northern South America and the Greater Antilles. This new molecular phylogeny has major implications for reinterpreting sloth morphological evolution, biogeography, and diversification history. • Ten new extinct sloth mitogenomes encompassing all major lineages • A new phylogeny and taxonomy for living and extinct sloths • Widespread convergence of morphological characters during sloth evolution • Ancient divergence of Caribbean sloths consistent with the GAARlandia hypothesis Extant sloths are the survivors of an evolutionary radiation marked by the extinction of large terrestrial forms of the Ice Age. By sequencing ten mitogenomes from extinct sloths, Delsuc et al. present a new molecular phylogeny revealing widespread morphological convergence with major implications for reinterpreting sloth evolutionary history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the complete mitochondrial genome (accession number: LK995454) of an iconic Australian species, the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus). The mitogenomic organization is consistent with other marsupials, encoding 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, an origin of light strand replication and a control region or D-loop. No repetitive sequences were detected in the control region. The M. giganteus mitogenome exemplifies a combination of tRNA gene order and structural peculiarities that appear to be unique to marsupials. We present a maximum likelihood phylogeny based on complete mitochondrial protein and RNA coding sequences that confirms the phylogenetic position of the grey kangaroo among macropodids.