"Using Multiple Introns to Reconstruct Changes in Female Coloration in Orioles"

Recent advances in the use of DNA sequencing in systematics have made Darwin’s vision of a “Tree of Life” showing evolutionary relationships among all organisms a feasible goal.  However, virtually all current molecular phylogenies for closely related animals are based on maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA sequences.  This project will use orioles as a model group to test the utility of combining data from multiple nuclear introns to construct whole genome trees for all closely related animal species.  The resulting evolutionary tree will be used to reconstruct the history of female color evolution in orioles.  It is likely that northern species such as the Baltimore Oriole have independently LOST elaborate female coloration resulting in the repeated GAIN of sexual dichromatism.  Behavioral fieldwork in Mexico and Maryland will further explore the causes of these changes.  This five year project is funded through 2009. 

A primary goal of our oriole research is to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree of orioles in order to understand the evolution of plumage characteristics.  Tree from Omland et al. 1999, Molec. Phylog. Evol. based on mtDNA sequences. Oriole names link to Animal Diversity Web accounts where they exist. Names do not line up in all browsers. Try increasing font -- on Mozilla increase font 140%.