Re: Nesting birds (was RE: Marsupial forelimbs... or rather hindlimbs)

[evelyn sobielski <koreke77@yahoo.de>]

--- Ronald Orenstein <ron.orenstein@rogers.com>
schrieb:

> At 08:33 AM 27/11/2007, Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. wrote:
> >Tinamous, ratites, galliforms (basally), and
> anseriforms (basally) seem to
> >all be ground nesters.
> 
> A number of Anseriformes (eg all whistling-ducks
> Dendrocygninae, wood 
> ducks Aix, and many diving ducks) nest in tree
> cavities.

Yes, these I was later referring to. But in the
Anseriformes, as far as anyone can tell, it's several
autapomorphies.

See also the erstwhile "Cairininae" - perching ducks.
Behavioral/part anatomical clade, phylogenetic
paraphyly.

Eike


PS: IIRC _Aix'_ relationships still need resolution.
It may well be close to either of two others you
mentioned (sister's siser or so), but not to both.


       __________________________________ Ihr erstes Fernweh? Wo gibt es den 
schönsten Strand? www.yahoo.de/clever