Molecular phylogeny of the genus Buteo (Aves: Accipitridae) based on mitochondrial marker sequences Martin J. Riesing, Luise Kruckenhauser, Anita Gamauf, and Elisabeth Haring * Museum of Natural History Vienna, Burgring 7, A-1014 Vienna, Austria Received 26 April 2002; revised 11 September 2002 Abstract DNA sequences of the mitochondrial nd6 gene and the non-repetitive part of the pseudo-control region (WCR) were isolated from 101 individuals to analyze the phylogenetic relationships among all buzzards of the genus Buteo and other buteonine genera. Comparisonsofthetwomarkersequencesindicatethatthe WCRevolvedtwotimesfasterthanthe nd6 gene.The WCRprovedtobe an efficient, neutral genetic marker sequence for phylogenetic analyses at the intrageneric level, especially suitable for analyses based on old tissues, where only short fragments can be obtained. The molecular data set implies a neotropical origin of the genus Buteo. Monophylyofthegenus Buteo ascurrentlydefinediscontradictedduetothepositionsof Asturina nitida, Geranoaetus melanoleucus, Buteo magnirostris, and Buteo leucorrhous. These findings suggest several taxonomic consequences. A. nitida and G. melanoleucus shouldbeincludedintothegenus Buteo. Moreover, B. leucorrhous should be transferred into the genus Percnohierax (which clusters with Parabuteo),and B. magnirostris intothegenus Rupornis.Accordingtothisclassificationofthegenus Buteo,thebasallineageof the genus is formed by a clade containing Buteo polyosoma, Buteo poecilochrous, and Buteo melanoleucus. The ‘‘woodland buteos’’ form a paraphyletic assemblage with B. magnirostris as a clearly separated lineage basal to the genus Buteo. Ó 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved. Keywords: Buteo; Phylogeny; mtDNA; Pseudo control region; nd6; Accipitridae; Buzzard 1. Introduction Buzzards of the genus Buteo represent a large group ofdiurnalbirdsofpreyofthefamilyAccipitridae. Buteo species are almost globally distributed (Thiollay in del Hoyo et al., 1994; Ferguson-Lees and Christie, 2001) being absent only in the Australian region, and in Antarctica. The distribution range also includes several remote oceanic islands in the Atlantic and Pacific. Ac- cording to the Handbook of Birds of the World (del Hoyoetal.,1994)12ofthe28speciesarepolytypicwith up to 14 subspecies (e.g., Buteo jamaicensis). Buteo species use various habitats ranging from well forested areas (from boreal to tropical regions) to open tundra and steppes. Various classifications of the genus Buteo with dif- ferent numbers of species (25–28) exist (Brown and Amadon, 1968; Clements, 2000; Thiollay in del Hoyo et al., 1994; Ferguson-Lees and Christie, 2001; Peterson, 2002; Stresemann and Amadon, 1979) and various subgenera have been proposed in the past, although Friedmann (1950) stated that the genus Buteo defies subdivision into subgenera. So far, classification is based on osteological and other morphological traits, but the phylogenetic information of those characters may be blurred by convergence. Up to now, no phylogenetic analysis has been presented to clarify intrageneric rela- tionships of Buteo. Particularly obscure are the evolu- tionary affinities of the island taxa Buteo galapagoensis, Buteo solitarius, Buteo polyosoma exsul, and Buteo ridgwayi and a group of species designated as ‘‘Ameri- can woodland buteos’’ by Johnson and Peeters (1963) (Buteo lineatus, Buteo ridgwayi, Buteo platypterus, Buteo magnirostris, and Asturina nitida). Phylogenetic rela- tionships between Buteo and related genera are also not Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 27 (2003) 328–342 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION * Corresponding author. Fax: +43-1-5235254. E-mail address: elisabeth.haring@nhm-wien.ac.at (E. Haring). 1055-7903/03/$ - see front matter Ó 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00450-5