Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird. / Grealy, Alicia; Miller, Gifford H.; Phillips, Matthew J.; Clarke, Simon J.; Fogel, Marilyn; Patalwala, Diana; Rigby, Paul; Hubbard, Alysia; Demarchi, Beatrice; Collins, Matthew; Mackie, Meaghan; Sakalauskaite, Jorune; Stiller, Josefin; Clarke, Julia A.; Legendre, Lucas J.; Douglass, Kristina; Hansford, James; Haile, James; Bunce, Michael.

In: Nature Communications, Vol. 14, 914, 2023.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Grealy, A, Miller, GH, Phillips, MJ, Clarke, SJ, Fogel, M, Patalwala, D, Rigby, P, Hubbard, A, Demarchi, B, Collins, M, Mackie, M, Sakalauskaite, J, Stiller, J, Clarke, JA, Legendre, LJ, Douglass, K, Hansford, J, Haile, J & Bunce, M 2023, 'Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird', Nature Communications, vol. 14, 914. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36405-3

APA

Grealy, A., Miller, G. H., Phillips, M. J., Clarke, S. J., Fogel, M., Patalwala, D., Rigby, P., Hubbard, A., Demarchi, B., Collins, M., Mackie, M., Sakalauskaite, J., Stiller, J., Clarke, J. A., Legendre, L. J., Douglass, K., Hansford, J., Haile, J., & Bunce, M. (2023). Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird. Nature Communications, 14, [914]. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36405-3

Vancouver

Grealy A, Miller GH, Phillips MJ, Clarke SJ, Fogel M, Patalwala D et al. Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird. Nature Communications. 2023;14. 914. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36405-3

Author

Grealy, Alicia ; Miller, Gifford H. ; Phillips, Matthew J. ; Clarke, Simon J. ; Fogel, Marilyn ; Patalwala, Diana ; Rigby, Paul ; Hubbard, Alysia ; Demarchi, Beatrice ; Collins, Matthew ; Mackie, Meaghan ; Sakalauskaite, Jorune ; Stiller, Josefin ; Clarke, Julia A. ; Legendre, Lucas J. ; Douglass, Kristina ; Hansford, James ; Haile, James ; Bunce, Michael. / Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird. In: Nature Communications. 2023 ; Vol. 14.

Bibtex

@article{28c61e6c7d0c4a69a32c76f5cc8f9486,
title = "Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird",
abstract = "The systematics of Madagascar{\textquoteright}s extinct elephant birds remains controversial due to large gaps in the fossil record and poor biomolecular preservation of skeletal specimens. Here, a molecular analysis of 1000-year-old fossil eggshells provides the first description of elephant bird phylogeography and offers insight into the ecology and evolution of these flightless giants. Mitochondrial genomes from across Madagascar reveal genetic variation that is correlated with eggshell morphology, stable isotope composition, and geographic distribution. The elephant bird crown is dated to ca. 30 Mya, when Madagascar is estimated to have become less arid as it moved northward. High levels of between-clade genetic variation support reclassifying Mullerornis into a separate family. Low levels of within-clade genetic variation suggest there were only two elephant bird genera existing in southern Madagascar during the Holocene. However, we find an eggshell collection from Madagascar{\textquoteright}s far north that represents a unique lineage of Aepyornis. Furthermore, divergence within Aepyornis coincides with the aridification of Madagascar during the early Pleistocene ca. 1.5 Ma, and is consistent with the fragmentation of populations in the highlands driving diversification and the evolution of extreme gigantism over shorts timescales. We advocate for a revision of their taxonomy that integrates palaeogenomic and palaeoecological perspectives.",
author = "Alicia Grealy and Miller, {Gifford H.} and Phillips, {Matthew J.} and Clarke, {Simon J.} and Marilyn Fogel and Diana Patalwala and Paul Rigby and Alysia Hubbard and Beatrice Demarchi and Matthew Collins and Meaghan Mackie and Jorune Sakalauskaite and Josefin Stiller and Clarke, {Julia A.} and Legendre, {Lucas J.} and Kristina Douglass and James Hansford and James Haile and Michael Bunce",
year = "2023",
doi = "10.1038/s41467-023-36405-3",
language = "English",
volume = "14",
journal = "Nature Communications",
issn = "2041-1723",
publisher = "nature publishing group",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Molecular exploration of fossil eggshell uncovers hidden lineage of giant extinct bird

AU - Grealy, Alicia

AU - Miller, Gifford H.

AU - Phillips, Matthew J.

AU - Clarke, Simon J.

AU - Fogel, Marilyn

AU - Patalwala, Diana

AU - Rigby, Paul

AU - Hubbard, Alysia

AU - Demarchi, Beatrice

AU - Collins, Matthew

AU - Mackie, Meaghan

AU - Sakalauskaite, Jorune

AU - Stiller, Josefin

AU - Clarke, Julia A.

AU - Legendre, Lucas J.

AU - Douglass, Kristina

AU - Hansford, James

AU - Haile, James

AU - Bunce, Michael

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - The systematics of Madagascar’s extinct elephant birds remains controversial due to large gaps in the fossil record and poor biomolecular preservation of skeletal specimens. Here, a molecular analysis of 1000-year-old fossil eggshells provides the first description of elephant bird phylogeography and offers insight into the ecology and evolution of these flightless giants. Mitochondrial genomes from across Madagascar reveal genetic variation that is correlated with eggshell morphology, stable isotope composition, and geographic distribution. The elephant bird crown is dated to ca. 30 Mya, when Madagascar is estimated to have become less arid as it moved northward. High levels of between-clade genetic variation support reclassifying Mullerornis into a separate family. Low levels of within-clade genetic variation suggest there were only two elephant bird genera existing in southern Madagascar during the Holocene. However, we find an eggshell collection from Madagascar’s far north that represents a unique lineage of Aepyornis. Furthermore, divergence within Aepyornis coincides with the aridification of Madagascar during the early Pleistocene ca. 1.5 Ma, and is consistent with the fragmentation of populations in the highlands driving diversification and the evolution of extreme gigantism over shorts timescales. We advocate for a revision of their taxonomy that integrates palaeogenomic and palaeoecological perspectives.

AB - The systematics of Madagascar’s extinct elephant birds remains controversial due to large gaps in the fossil record and poor biomolecular preservation of skeletal specimens. Here, a molecular analysis of 1000-year-old fossil eggshells provides the first description of elephant bird phylogeography and offers insight into the ecology and evolution of these flightless giants. Mitochondrial genomes from across Madagascar reveal genetic variation that is correlated with eggshell morphology, stable isotope composition, and geographic distribution. The elephant bird crown is dated to ca. 30 Mya, when Madagascar is estimated to have become less arid as it moved northward. High levels of between-clade genetic variation support reclassifying Mullerornis into a separate family. Low levels of within-clade genetic variation suggest there were only two elephant bird genera existing in southern Madagascar during the Holocene. However, we find an eggshell collection from Madagascar’s far north that represents a unique lineage of Aepyornis. Furthermore, divergence within Aepyornis coincides with the aridification of Madagascar during the early Pleistocene ca. 1.5 Ma, and is consistent with the fragmentation of populations in the highlands driving diversification and the evolution of extreme gigantism over shorts timescales. We advocate for a revision of their taxonomy that integrates palaeogenomic and palaeoecological perspectives.

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-023-36405-3

DO - 10.1038/s41467-023-36405-3

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36854679

VL - 14

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

SN - 2041-1723

M1 - 914

ER -

ID: 337576028