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52 results for “extinct birds”
Climatic refugia and reduced extinction correlate with underdispersion in mammals and birds in Africa
Macroevolutionary patterns, often inferred from metrics of community relatedness, are often used to ascertain major evolutionary processes shaping communities. These patterns have been shown to be informative of biogeographic barriers, of habitat suitability and invasibility (especially with regards to environmental filtering), and of regions that function as evolutionary cradles (i.e., sources of diversification) or museums (i.e., regions of reduced extinction). Here, we analysed continental datasets of mammal and bird distributions to identify primary drivers of community evolution on the African continent for mostly-endothermic vertebrates. We find that underdispersion (i.e., relatively low phylogenetic diversity compared to species richness) closely correlates with specific ecoregions that have been identified as climatic refugia in the literature, regardless of whether these specific regions have been touted as cradles or museums. Using theoretical models of identical communities that differ only with respect to extinction rates, we find that even small suppressions of extinction rates can result in underdispersed communities, supporting the hypothesis that climatic stability can lead to underdispersion. We posit that large-scale patterns of under- and overdispersion between regions of similar species richness are more reflective of a particular region's extinction potential, and that the very nature of refugia can lead to underdispersion via the steady accumulation of species richness through diversification within the same ecoregion during climatic cycles. Thus, patterns of environmental filtering can be obfuscated by environments that coincide with biogeographic refugia, and considerations of regional biogeographic history are paramount for inferring macroevolutionary processes. --
Climatic refugia and reduced extinction correlate with underdispersion in mammals and birds in Africa
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A nuclear genome assembly of an extinct flightless bird, the little bush moa
<p>We present a draft genome of the little bush moa (<em>Anomalopteryx didiformis</em>) - one of approximately nine species of extinct flightless birds from Aotearoa, New Zealand - using ancient DNA recovered from a fossil bone from the South Island. We recover a complete mitochondrial genome at 249.9X depth of coverage and almost 900 Mb of a male moa nuclear genome at ~4-5X coverage, with sequence contiguity sufficient to identify more than 85% of avian universal single-copy orthologs. We describe a diverse landscape of transposable elements and satellite repeats; estimate a long-term effective population size of ~240,000; identify a diverse suite of olfactory receptor genes and an opsin repertoire with sensitivity in the UV range; show that the wingless moa phenotype is likely not attributable to gene loss or pseudogenization; and identify potential function-altering coding sequence variants in moa that could be synthesized for future functional assays. This genomic resource should support further studies of avian evolution and morphological divergence.</p>
Estimating the distribution of carotenoid coloration in skin and integumentary structures of birds and extinct dinosaurs
<p>Carotenoids are pigments responsible for most bright yellow, red, and orange hues in birds. Their distribution has been investigated in avian plumage, but the evolution of their expression in skin and other integumentary structures has not been approached in detail. Here, we investigate the expression of carotenoid-consistent coloration across tissue types in all extant, non-passerine species (n= 4,022) and archelosaur outgroups in a phylogenetic framework. We collect dietary data for a subset of birds and investigate how dietary carotenoid intake may relate to carotenoid expression in various tissues. We find that carotenoid-consistent expression in skin or non-plumage keratin has a 50 percent probability of being present in the most recent common ancestor of Archosauria. Skin expression has a similar probability at the base of the avian crown clade, but plumage expression is unambiguously absent in that ancestor and shows hundreds of independent gains within non-passerine neognaths, consistent with previous studies. Although our data do not support a strict sequence of tissue expression in non-passerine birds, we find support that expression of carotenoid-consistent color in non-plumage integument structures might evolve in a correlated manner and feathers are rarely the only region of expression. Taxa with diets high in carotenoid content also show expression in more body regions and tissue types. Our results may inform targeted assays for carotenoids in tissues other than feathers, and expectations of these pigments in non-avian dinosaurs. In extinct groups, bare-skin regions and the rhamphotheca, especially in species with diets rich in plants, may express these pigments, which are not expected in feathers or feather homologues.</p>
Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird
<p>Madagascar's extinct elephant birds are the least studied of the ratites, yet in recent years have proven to be critical for understanding the evolution of all birds. With large spatio-temporal gaps in the fossil record and poor biomolecular preservation of skeletal specimens, the systematics of these flightless giants remains controversial. Here, we overcome these limitations using a comprehensive molecular analysis of 1000-year-old fossil eggshells to provide the first description of elephant bird phylogeography and reveal new insights into the ecology of the world's largest birds. High-throughput sequencing of 21 mitochondrial genomes from across Madagascar reveals genetic variation that is correlated with eggshell morphology, stable isotope composition, and geographic distribution. The elephant bird crown is dated to ca. 30 Mya during the Eocene-Oligocene, a period of marked global cooling when Madagascar's local palaeoclimate is estimated to have become less arid as the island moved northward. High levels of between-clade genetic variation argue for the reclassification of Mullerornis into a new family. Low levels of within-clade genetic variation are unexpected and suggest that there were only two elephant bird genera, with one species per genus existing in southern Madagascar during the Holocene. However, we reveal a newly discovered eggshell collection from Madagascar's far north that is phylogenetically, morphologically, and ecologically distinct, representing a unique lineage of <em>Aepyornis</em>. Furthermore, molecular dating estimates that divergence within <em>Aepyornis</em> coincides with the aridification of Madagascar during the early Pleistocene ca. 1.5 Ma, and is consistent with the fragmentation of populations in the highlands driving diversification, as well as the evolution of extreme gigantism over short timescales. Molecular analysis thus provides the first insight into elephant bird speciation, and we advocate for a revision of their taxonomy that integrates palaeogenomic and palaeoecological perspectives.</p>
Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird
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Estimating the distribution of carotenoid coloration in skin and integumentary structures of birds and extinct dinosaurs
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A nuclear genome assembly of an extinct flightless bird, the little bush moa
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Data from: Non-random patterns of invasion and extinction reduce phylogenetic diversity in island bird assemblages
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AVOTREX: A global dataset of extinct birds and their traits (v. 1.0)
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Sighting record data to estimate extinction likelihood for North American and Hawaiian birds
<p>This is an updated version of Table S1 from Elphick, C.S., D.L. Roberts, and J.M. Reed. 2010. Estimated dates of recent extinctions for North American and Hawaiian birds. Biological Conservation 143: 617-624.</p> <p>The original version (Version 1) used in the paper was published as supplemental material to the paper and is available at:</p> <p>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320709004911?via%3Dihub#app1</p> <p>This updated version (Version 2) was previously posted online at:</p> <p>http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/birdlab/Elphick_et_al_2010_supplement_18_Jan_10_update.pdf</p> <p>The table Sighting data used in analyses for Elphick et al. 2010. The citation number for each year within a sighting record is given by the superscript. We include data for species (or populations) that fit our analysis goals, but for which too few data were available to analyze in the hopes that others will be able to find additional sighting data. This data set is modified from that originally published on-line to incorporate additional information that has subsequently come to light (changes highlighted in blue). No changes in the statistical results that arose from the inclusion of new information (see bottom of the document).</p> <p>Yes, it's annoying its a .doc file (sorry - expediency is winning here ...)</p>
Data from: Anthropogenic extinctions conceal widespread evolution of flightlessness in birds
<p><span>Human-driven extinctions can affect our understanding of evolution, through the nonrandom loss of certain</span> types of species. Here, we explore how knowledge of a major evolutionary transition—the evolution of flightlessness in birds—is biased by anthropogenic extinctions. Adding data on 581 known anthropogenic extinctions to the extant avifauna increases the number of species by 5%, but quadruples the number of flightless species. The evolution of flightlessness in birds is a widespread phenomenon, occurring in more than half of bird orders and evolving independently at least 150 times. Thus, we estimate that this major evolutionary transition occurred at a rate four times higher than it would appear based solely on extant species. Our analysis of preanthropogenic avian diversity shows how anthropogenic effects can conceal the frequency of major evolutionary transitions in life forms and highlights that macroevolutionary studies with only small amounts of missing data can still be highly biased.</p>
Characterizing the spatio-temporal threats, conservation hotspots and conservation gaps for the most extinction-prone bird family (Aves: Rallidae)
<p>Here we worked on the rails (bird family Rallidae), looking at whether the current threats are consistent with those that led to recent extinctions, and ultimately, what conservation actions might be necessary to mitigate further losses. We undertook a global synthesis of the temporal and spatial threat patterns for Rallidae and determined conservation priorities and gaps.</p>
Data from: Ecological correlates of extinction risk in Chinese birds
China is one of the countries with the richest bird biodiversity in the world. Among the 1372 Chinese birds, 146 species are considered threatened and three species are regionally extinct according to the officially released China Biodiversity Red List in 2015. Here, we conducted the first extensive analysis to systematically investigate the patterns and processes of extinction and threat in Chinese birds. We addressed the following four questions. First, is extinction risk randomly distributed among avian families in Chinese birds? Second, which families contain more threatened species than would be expected by chance? Third, which species traits are important in determining the extinction risk in Chinese birds using a multivariate phylogenetic comparative approach? Finally, is the form of the relationship between traits additive or nonadditive (synergistic)? We found that the extinction risk of Chinese birds was not randomly distributed among taxonomic families. The families that contained significantly more threatened species than expected were the hornbills, cranes, pittas, pheasants and hawks and eagles. We obtained eleven species traits that are commonly hypothesized to influence extinction risk from the literature: body size, clutch size, trophic level, mobility, habitat specificity, geographical range size, nest type, nest site, flocking tendency, migrant status and hunting vulnerability. After phylogenetic correction, model selection based on Akaike's information criterion identified the synergistic interaction between body size and hunting vulnerability as the single best correlate of extinction risk in Chinese birds. Our results suggest that, in order to be effective, priority management efforts should be given both to certain extinction-prone families, particularly the hornbills, pelicans, cranes, pittas, pheasants and hawks and eagles, and to bird species with large body size and high hunting vulnerability.
Data from: Functional extinction of birds drives rapid evolutionary changes in seed size.
Local extinctions have cascading effects on ecosystem functions, yet little is known about the potential for the rapid evolutionary change of species in human-modified scenarios. We show that the functional extinction of large-gape seed dispersers in the Brazilian Atlantic forest is associated with the consistent reduction of seed size of a keystone palm species. Among 22 palm populations, areas deprived of large avian frugivores for several decades present smaller seeds than non-defaunated forests, with negative consequences for palm regeneration. Coalescence and phenotypic selection models indicate that seed size reduction most likely occurred within the last 100 years, associated with human-driven fragmentation. The fast-paced defaunation of large vertebrates is most likely causing unprecedented changes in the evolutionary trajectories and community composition of tropical forests.
Data from: The fifth review of Birds of Conservation Concern in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and second IUCN Red List assessment of extinction risk of birds for Great Britain
<p>The fifth review of <i>Birds of Conservation Concern</i> (<i>BoCC5</i>) in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man assessed and assigned 245 species to updated Red, Amber and Green lists of conservation concern and showed a continuing decline in the status of our bird populations. In total, 70 species (29% of those assessed) are now on the Red list, up from 36 species in the first review in 1996. Since the last review, in 2015, Golden Oriole <i>Oriolus oriolus</i> has been lost as a breeding species. Eleven species have been moved to the Red list, while only six species moved from Red to Amber. Newly Red-listed species include Common Swift <i>Apus apus</i>, Common House Martin <i>Delichon urbicum</i>, Greenfinch <i>Chloris chloris</i> and the globally threatened Leach's Storm-petrel <i>Hydrobates leucorhous</i>. There has been no improvement in the overall status of species associated with farmland and upland, or Afro-Palearctic migrants; indeed, more such species have been Red-listed. Concerns over the status of our wintering wildfowl and wader populations have also increased. As a direct result of targeted conservation action, White-tailed Eagle <i>Haliaeetus albicilla</i> moves from Red to Amber.</p> <p>We also present a review of the separate, and distinct, second IUCN Regional Red List assessment of extinction risk for Great Britain, which show that 46% of 235 regularly occurring species, and 43% of 285 separate breeding and non-breeding populations, are assessed as being threatened with extinction from Great Britain.</p>
Big, flightless, insular, and dead: characterizing the extinct birds of the Quaternary
<p><b>Aim:</b> Birds have recently undergone a major extinction event which apparently, is ongoing. According to some estimates, humans have caused the extinction of up to 20% of the entire avian species diversity since the latter part of the Pleistocene, which is continuing at an unprecedented rate to this day. Few attempts, however, were made to determine how many extinctions are actually known, rather than projected to have occurred. We aimed to quantify the known avian extinctions, and assess the relevance of factors thought to have promoted their extinctions, i.e., large size, flightlessness, and insularity.</p> <p><b>Location:</b> Global</p> <p><b>Taxon:</b> Aves</p> <p><b>Methods:</b> We collected data on bird extinctions from the literature. We recorded the geographic range, flight ability, and body size of each species. If mass data were unavailable, we estimated it from linear measurements using machine learning tools. We modelled masses of extinct birds on those of extant ones and estimated the effects of taxonomy, body mass, insularity, and flight ability.</p> <p><b>Results</b> We have identified 469 species of birds that humans, directly or indirectly, drove to extinction. These extinctions have predominantly occurred on islands. Extinct birds were often flightless. We estimated the body mass of 291 extinct species and found that overall, the median mass of extinct species was seven times larger than that of extant ones. Extinctions mostly occurred in families of large-bodied birds, while lineages of small birds have fared better. Insular birds are overall larger than mainland birds, a trend that becomes even more evident when the extinct forms are analyzed. However, within lineages, sizes are only slightly larger on islands than on continents.</p> <p><b>Main conclusions</b> Our findings suggest that extinct bird species differed from extant birds by being larger, mostly restricted to islands, and often flightless. These factors made them especially vulnerable to human prosecution and to other anthropogenically-related declines. Our modern understanding of birds is skewed with respect to the nature of avian faunas that existed before the current wave of human-induced extinctions changed our world forever.</p>
Figure 4 in A new species of the genus Coraciacarus (Gabuciniidae, Pterolichoidea) from the huia Heteralocha acutirostris (Callaeatidae, Passeriformes), an extinct bird species from New Zealand
Figure 4. Coraciacarus muellermotzfeldi sp. nov., details. (A) Palpus, dorsal view, (B) palpus, ventral view, (C) tibia and tarsus of leg IV in males, (D) genu of leg I, (E) secondary sperm ducts in females, (F) morphological variability of epigynum shape in females. Setal designations of legs and palps after Gaud and Atyeo (1996).
Figure 2 in A new species of the genus Coraciacarus (Gabuciniidae, Pterolichoidea) from the huia Heteralocha acutirostris (Callaeatidae, Passeriformes), an extinct bird species from New Zealand
Figure 2. Coraciacarus muellermotzfeldi sp. nov., male. (A) Ventral view, (B) dorsal view. Setal designations of idiosoma after Griffiths et al. (1990).
Figure 1 in A new species of the genus Coraciacarus (Gabuciniidae, Pterolichoidea) from the huia Heteralocha acutirostris (Callaeatidae, Passeriformes), an extinct bird species from New Zealand
Figure 1. Investigated individuals of huia Heteralocha acutorostris (Gould, 1837) from the collection of the Zoological Institute and Museum, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany. Left – female, right – male.
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Allen Brain Atlas
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DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
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International Brain Laboratory public data
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OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.