Carduelini New Sistematics: Crimson-winged Finch (Rhodopechys sangineus) is Included in “Arid-Zone” Carduelini Finches by Mitochondrial DNA Phylogeny

Abstract

Rhodopechys sangineus phylogeny together with a group of Carduelini finches has been analyzed. Mitochon- drial cyt b molecule has been used for species comparison and maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods have been em- ployed in order to obtain a solid phylogeny. Compared Carduelini finches groups include: Greenfinches, "Arid-Zone" finches and Genera Rhodopechys and Pyrrhula species. Our results lead to conclude: 1) Genus Rhodopechys included species should need a new taxonomic classification; 2) Genus Pyrrhula shares a common ancestor with "Arid-Zone" finches group; the latter is phylogenetically a separate clade, including species from Carpodacus, Rhodopechys and Leu- costicte Genera, and 3) Pinicola enucleator belongs to Genus Pyrrhula and seems to be ancestral. Results show that a sis- tematics revision of Carduelini tribe bird species is required.