Two aspects along the continuum of pigeon evolution: A South-Pacific radiation and the relationship of pigeons within Neoaves

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 Hemiphaganovaeseelandiae, 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.