Ratite Answers

["Nick Gardner" <ratites637@hotmail.com>]

Some grandly long time ago, I'm not sure how long, I sent a message to the 
list asking a few questions about neornithines (especially ratites), these 
are the answers.  Thanks to Tommy Tyberg and David Marjanovic, from who 
these answers come.

The reference for Palaeognathae (not Paleognathae, as I originally wrote) 
and Neognathae is-

W.P. Pycraft, 1900.  On the monophyly and phylogeny of the Palaeognathae 
(Ratitae and Crypturi) and Neognathae (Carinatae).  Transactions of the 
Zoological Society of London 15:149-290

The reference for Ratitae is-

Merrem, 1816.  Tentamen systematis naturalis avium. Abh. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 
p. 259

The latter is available online apparently at-

http://www.bbaw.de/bibliothek/digital/struktur/07-abh/18121813/jpg-0800/00000004.htm

(You may have to copy and paste the last part, as it doesn't appear as one 
line in this message)

According to Pycraft, the synapomorphies of Palaeognathae are-

1. paleognathus palate
2. open ilio-ischiadic fenestra
3. compound rhamphothecae
4. male care of the young (simultaneous polygny + sequential polyandry)

And it occurred to me this morning to look at Cracraft & Clarke (2001), 
which is a morphological analysis of the basal clades of modern birds.  
According to their analysis, the following characters are synapomorphies of 
Palaeognathae-

05(0).  Extensive articulation between the vomer and pterygoid.
09(0).  Vomers contact premaxillae.
10(0).  ventral, "zygomatic" process of the squamosal long, laterally 
adjacent to the quadrate rostrodorsally.
12(0).  Eustachian tubes open laterally.
13(1).  Alaparasphenoidalis is not inflated by the rostral tympanic 
diverticulum.
14(1).  Skull with highly pneumatic bone posterior to the articulation with 
the quadrate.
17(1).  Caudal maxillary sinus absent.
18(0).  Quadrate intercotylar incisure between prootic and squamosal cotylae 
absent.
43(2).  Parental care performed primarily by males.

Thanks again to all who replied!

Nick Gardner

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