AVOTREX: A Global Dataset of Extinct Birds and Their Traits

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 33(12)

Published: Oct. 24, 2024

ABSTRACT Motivation Human activities have been reshaping the natural world for tens of thousands years, leading to extinction hundreds bird species. Past research has provided evidence selectivity towards certain groups species, but trait information is lacking majority clades, especially prehistoric extinctions identified only through subfossil remains. This incomplete knowledge potentially obscures structure communities, undermining our ability infer changes in biodiversity across space and time, including trends functional phylogenetic diversity. Biases currently available data also limit identify drivers processes extinction. Here we present AVOTREX, an open‐access database species traits all birds known gone extinct last 130,000 years. provides detailed morphological 610 along with a pipeline build trees that include these Main Types Variables Contained For each provide on taxonomy, geographic location, period We island endemicity, flight ability, body mass, as well standard measurements external (matching AVONET extant birds) skeletal morphology from museum specimens where available. To ensure comprehensive coverage, estimate missing using imputation technique based machine learning. Finally, R package graft onto global phylogeny (BirdTree). Spatial Location Grain Global. Time Period All globally years ago up until 2024. Major Taxa Level Measurement Birds (Class Aves), level. Software Format Spreadsheets (.csv) stored Dryad.

Language: Английский

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Catalogue of Cuban fossil and subfossil birds

Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 142(1)

Published: March 11, 2022

All information relating to the Cuban palaeo-avifauna since first published list in 1928 present, is summarised and presented as a catalogue with commentary. I update data on composition, systematics distribution of fossil subfossil birds from Quaternary (Late Pleistocene-Holocene interval) deposits Cuba, necessary critical review. Thirty-six taxa (30 extinct, two poorly represented apparently also four extirpated) are listed valid records Section I, under 14 families, Teratornithidae only extinct family grouping. Birds prey scavengers constitute 72.2% these taxa, Accipitridae (22.2%) Falconidae (16.6%) best represented, followed by nocturnal raptors. Sections II III comment discuss material referred 29 which one dubious identity others misidentified / or synonymised at class, family, genus species level. neospecies currently known paleontological localities throughout archipelago IV; 49 identified (14 considered today endemic species, including six genera) 26 families.

Language: Английский

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Two new neoavian taxa with contrasting palaeobiogeographical implications from the early Miocene St Bathans Fauna, New Zealand

Journal of Ornithology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 163(3), P. 643 - 658

Published: April 5, 2022

Abstract Two new neoavian landbirds are reported from the early Miocene St Bathans Fauna New Zealand. Aegotheles zealandivetus sp. nov. is described several bones, among which, notably, tarsometatarsus shows more similarity to Guinean taxa than Australian—New Zealand species. Zealandornis relictus gen. et a distal end of humerus and placed in family Zealandornithidae, tentatively ‘higher landbirds’ Telluraves, with most coliiforms. The similar size that species Colius its gracile shaft very shallow sulcus scapulotricipitalis suggests reduced flying ability. reinforces Australasian nature Zealandian fauna, while contrast, appears have no close relatives. It as distinct Acanthisittidae Strigopidae birds, or Leiopelmatidae Sphenodontidae herpetofauna, like them, represents relictual taxon. Together they confer highly evolutionarily distinctive fauna concomitant minimal 60 million years isolation.

Language: Английский

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First genetic data for the critically endangered Cuban endemic Zapata Rail Cyanolimnas cerverai, and the taxonomic implications

Journal of Ornithology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 163(4), P. 945 - 952

Published: July 8, 2022

Abstract The taxonomic affinity of the near-flightless Zapata Rail Cyanolimnas cerverai , a critically endangered and highly localized species endemic to Cuba, has long been debated. Morphological analyses have suggested that this species, which constitutes monotypic genus, could be related either extinct Tahitian Cave Rails ( Nesotrochis sp.) or South American rail tribe Pardirallini, i.e., genera Neocrex Mustelirallus Pardirallus . While pronounced phenotypic convergence—and divergence—among rails repeatedly proven morphology-based phylogenies unreliable, thus far no attempt sequence DNA from enigmatic succeeded. In study, we extracted historic museum specimen collected in 1927 sequenced multiple short fragments allowed us assemble partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene. Phylogenetic confirm belongs Pardirallini as sister genus it diverged about 6 million years ago. Their divergence was estimated at 9 Based on morphology our phylogeny, conclude is unjustified retain tentatively recommend C. two are ascribed

Language: Английский

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First genetic data for the Critically Endangered Cuban endemic Zapata RailCyanolimnas cerverai, and the taxonomic implications

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 10, 2022

ABSTRACT The taxonomic affinity of the near-flightless Zapata Rail Cyanolimnas cerverai , a Critically Endangered and highly localized species endemic to Cuba, has long been debated. Morphological analyses have suggested that this species, which constitutes monotypic genus, could be related either extinct Tahitian Cave Rails ( Nesotrochis sp.) or South American rail tribe Pardirallini, i.e., genera Neocrex, Mustelirallus Pardirallus . Whilst pronounced phenotypic convergence–and divergence–among rails repeatedly proven morphology-based phylogenies unreliable, thus far no attempt sequence DNA from enigmatic succeeded. In study, we extracted historic museum specimen collected in 1927 sequenced multiple short fragments allowed us assemble partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene. Phylogenetic confirm belongs Pardirallini as sister genus Neocrex it diverged about six million years ago. Their divergence was estimated at eight Based on morphology our phylogeny, conclude is unjustified retain tentatively recommend C. two are ascribed Abstract Figure

Language: Английский

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