Molecular phylogeny of songbirds (Passeriformes) inferred from mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences

Phylogenetic relationships among the families of passerine birds have been the subject of many debates. These relationships have, been investigated by using a number of different character sets, including morphology, proteins, DNA-DNA hybridization, and mitochondrial DNA gene sequences. Our objective was to examine the phylogenetic relationships of a set of passerine songbirds (Oscines) and to test the taxonomic relationships proposed by Sibley and Ahlquist (1990). We sequenced 1403 aligned bases encompassing the mitochondrial transfer-RNA-Valine and 16S ribosomal RNA genes in 27 species from 14 families (including a Suboscine outgroup). Our results differ in significant ways from the superfamily designations of Sibley and Ahlquist by questioning the monophyly of the Sylvioidea and by placing the Regulidae in the Corvoidea. (C) 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.