Phylogenetic relationships of 34 passerines based on mitochondrial Cytochrome b sequences

Phylogenetic relationships of 34 passerines were studied based on mitochondrial Cytochrome b (Cyt b) sequences. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using Neighbor-Joining, Maximum-Parsimony and Minimum evolution methods. The results show that the divergence between Fringillids and Emberizids reaches a family level and they should be grouped into family Fringillidae and Emberizidae, respectively; Accentors has a relatively close relationship with Fringillids and Emberizids; the divergence between robins and flycatchers does not reach a family level and they should be member to family Muscicapidae; long-tailed tits and sylviids should all be listed into families; barn swallow, crowtits and long-tailed tits have close relationships with Sylviidae; in the Fringillidae, brambling should be member to one subfamily Fringillinae, several other birds under the subfamily Carduelinae; in the Sylviidae, although lanceolated warblers and scaly-headed stubtails have a relatively far relationship, they should be member to one subfamily Acrocephalinae and warblers to Phylloscopinae. Muscicapidae, Fringillidae and Emberidae are all monophylies, but Sylviidae is not. The substitution rates of major clades are thought to be the same according to relative rate tests. Divergence time of major clades is estimated at the rate of 1.6% per million years, thus the estimated divergence time between Fringillidae and Emberizidae is 10.5 million years, robins and flycatchers 9.0 Myr, Acrocephalinae and Phylloscopinae 9.0 Myr, Carduelis flammea and Carpodacus erythrinus 7.5 Myr, Luscinia cyane and Tarsiger cyanurus 7.8 Myr, two outgroups 13.5 Myr.