One interesting aspect of this paper is that it states that there is no
close living relative of the Fox Sparrow(s). The closest are the juncos
(i.e. Dark-eyed Junco), the Zonotrichias (i.e. White-crowned Sparrow) the
Spizellas (i.e. American Tree Sparrow), and (somewhat more divergent) the
Green-tailed Towhee. All of these were at least 11% divergent. This
prevented Zink and Weckstein from determining the root of the Fox
Sparrows' tree - typically, the taxon closest to the outgroup would be the
root from which the others diverged, but in this case, there is so much
difference between the ingroup and the outgroup that all 4 (sub)species of
Fox Sparrow are equally divergent from the outgroup.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.scn.org/fomp/birding.htm
== hummer at isomedia.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Russell Rogers" <rrogers at olypen.com>
To: "Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2003 10:16 PM
Subject: Fox Sparrow paper in the AUK


> Hi Tweeters,
>
> For those who keep track of such things, I received my issue of the Auk
> today and in it was this paper;
>
> Zink, Robert M., and Jason D. weckstein. 2003. Recent evolutionary
> history of the Fox Sparrows (Genus: Passerella). Auk 120(2): 522-527.
>
> In it, they recomend that the Fox Sparrow complex be divided into four
> species, Red, Sooty, Slate-colored, and Thick-billed. Perhaps this could
> be the final blow for a long awaited spilt?
>
> Russell
>
> --
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> Russell Rogers
> Fish and Wildlife Biologist
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> Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
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>
>
>