Phylogeny of eagles, Old World vultures, and other Accipitridae based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA
Abstract
We assessed phylogenetic relationships for birds of prey in the family Accipitridae using molecular sequence from two mitochondrial genes (1047 bases ND2 and 1041 bases cyt-b) and one nuclear intron (1074 bases beta-fibrinogen intron 7). We sampled representatives of all 14 Accipitridae subfamilies, focusing on four subfamilies of eagles (booted eagles, sea eagles, harpy eagles, and snake eagles) and two subfamilies of Old World vultures (Gypaetinae and Aegypiinae) with nearly all known species represented. Multiple well-supported relationships among accipitrids identified with DNA differ from those traditionally recognized based on morphology or life history traits. Monophyly of sea eagles (Haliaeetinae) and booted eagles (Aquilinae) was supported; however, harpy eagles (Harpiinae), snake eagles (Circaetinae), and Old World vultures were found to be non-monophyletic. The Gymnogene (Polyboroides typus) and the Crane Hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens) were not found to be close relatives, presenting an example of convergent evolution for specialized limb morphology enabling predation on cavity nesting species. Investigation of named subspecies within Hieraaetus fasciatus and H. morphnoides revealed significant genetic differentiation or non-monophyly supporting recognition of H. spilogaster and H. weiskei as distinctive species.
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Several large clades within Accipitridae corresponded roughly to the subfamilies recognized by Mindell et al. (2018) and Lerner & Mindell (2005).
“Several large clades within Accipitridae corresponded roughly (except as noted) to the subfamilies recognized by Mindell et al. (2018) and Lerner & Mindell (2005).”
From Enigmas no longer: using ultraconserved elements to place several unusual hawk taxa and address the non-monophyly of the genus <i>Accipiter</i> (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) (2025) · cites this paper as Lerner & Mindell (2005)
Complete or nearly complete taxon sampling has now been achieved in some genera, but these phylogenies are based on Sanger sequencing of a small number of markers and often lack statistical support for the branching order between genera or groups of genera.
“Complete or nearly complete taxon sampling has now been achieved in some genera, but these phylogenies are based on Sanger sequencing of a small number of markers and often lack statistical support for the branching order between genera or groups of genera (e.g., Lerner & Mindell, 2005;Amaral et al., 2009).”
From Enigmas no longer: using ultraconserved elements to place several unusual hawk taxa and address the non-monophyly of the genus <i>Accipiter</i> (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) (2025) · cites this paper as Lerner & Mindell, 2005
Accipitridae has been divided into several subfamilies and tribes, but these groupings vary widely from study to study.
“Accipitridae has been divided into several subfamilies and tribes, but these groupings vary widely from study to study.”
From Enigmas no longer: using ultraconserved elements to place several unusual hawk taxa and address the non-monophyly of the genus <i>Accipiter</i> (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) (2025) · cites this paper as Lerner & Mindell (2005)
Polyboroides typus was sister to a clade containing the rest of the species in the clade containing most species typically placed in Gypaetinae, Perninae, and Polyboroidinae.
“Within the clade containing most species typically placed in the subfamilies Gypaetinae, Perninae, and Polyboroidinae (e.g., Brown & Amadon, 1968;Lerner & Mindell, 2005), we found that African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus) was sister to a clade containing the rest of the species.”
From Enigmas no longer: using ultraconserved elements to place several unusual hawk taxa and address the non-monophyly of the genus <i>Accipiter</i> (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) (2025) · cites this paper as Lerner & Mindell, 2005
Samples from three species in the genus Spilornis formed a clade that was sister to a clade containing samples from Pithecophaga, Terathopius, Circaetus, and Dryotriorchis.
“Within a clade containing most of the genera formerly placed in the subfamily Circaetinae (excluding Eutriorchis, contra Lerner & Mindell, 2005), samples from three species in the genus Spilornis, which is composed primarily of southeast Asian island endemics, formed a clade that was sister to a clade containing samples from the genera Pithecophaga, Terathopius, Circaetus, and Dryotriorchis.”
From Enigmas no longer: using ultraconserved elements to place several unusual hawk taxa and address the non-monophyly of the genus <i>Accipiter</i> (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) (2025) · cites this paper as Lerner & Mindell, 2005
In the 236 species phylogeny, we recovered a clade containing most taxa that were placed within Accipitrinae, Circinae, and Melieraxinae by Lerner & Mindell (2005).
“In our 236 species phylogeny, we recovered a clade containing most taxa that were placed within these subfamilies by Lerner & Mindell (2005).”
From Enigmas no longer: using ultraconserved elements to place several unusual hawk taxa and address the non-monophyly of the genus <i>Accipiter</i> (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) (2025) · cites this paper as Lerner & Mindell (2005)
With respect to the two tribes and their constituent members, our phylogeny was in agreement with previous studies.
“With respect to the two tribes and their constituent members, our phylogeny was in agreement with previous studies (Lerner & Mindell, 2005;Amaral et al., 2006;Amaral et al., 2009;Mindell et al., 2018).”
From Enigmas no longer: using ultraconserved elements to place several unusual hawk taxa and address the non-monophyly of the genus <i>Accipiter</i> (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) (2025) · cites this paper as Lerner & Mindell, 2005
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- Authors
- Lerner, H. R. L., & Mindell, D. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Michigan (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lerner, Heather R.L.
- ORCID
- Mindell, David P.
- Venue
- Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-11
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 327-346
- ISSN
- 1055-7903 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2144677680
- Semantic Scholar
- 4b745c5ef34a19e031157539a20f1a3f8c39e0dc
- Cited by
- 264
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 10.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
- Keywords
- Accipitridae, eagle, Old World vultures, phylogenetic relationships, ND2, cytochrome b, sea eagle, harpy eagle, convergent evolution, Hieraaetus fasciatus, species delimitation, monophyly
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cell Nucleolus, DNA, Mitochondrial, Fibrinogen, Genes, Introns, NADH Dehydrogenase, Phylogeny, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Eagles, Cytochromes b, Falconiformes
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