Molecular evidence for phylogenetic relationships among buntings and American sparrows (Emberizidae)

To help clarify controversial phylogenetic relationships within the Family Emberizidae. we sequenced 1238 bp of mitochondrial DNA From the cytochrome b gene and a flanking portion of ND5. Although the longspurs (Calcarius) an d the snow buntings (Plectrophenax) have been grouped with the Old World bu ntings (Emberiza) in traditional classifications, our molecular phylogenies constructed with maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony place these gene ra basal to a clade in which the Old World buntings and North American spar rows are sister groups. Contrary to the hypothesis: that the radiation with in Emberiza is recent following a westward expansion of emberizid stock int o Eurasia from North America, we found that the level of genetic: divergenc e among Old World buntings approximates those among different genera in Nor th American sparrows. Thus the radiation of the Emberizidae seems to have o ccurred at roughly the same time in the Palaearctic and Nearctic. Our resul ts are consistent with earlier analyses of allozymes, but sequences from mu ltiple genes and new morphological analyses are required to Fully resolve p hylogenetic relationships within the Emberizidae.