DNA barcoding and phylogenetic relationships in timaliidae

Abstract

The Timaliidae, a diverse family of oscine passerine birds, has long been a subject of debate regarding its phylogeny. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene has been used as a powerful marker for identification and phylogenetic studies of animal species. In the present study, we analyzed the COI barcodes of 71 species from 21 genera belonging to the family Timaliidae. Every bird species possessed a barcode distinct from that of other bird species. Kimura two-parameter (K2P) distances were calculated between barcodes. The average genetic distance between species was 18 times higher than the average genetic distance within species. The neighbor-joining method was used to construct a phylogenetic tree and all the species could be discriminated by their distinct clades within the phylogenetic tree. The results indicate that some currently recognized babbler genera might not be monophyletic, with the COI gene data supporting the hypothesis of polyphyly for Garrulax, Alcippe, and Minla. Thus, DNA barcoding is an effective molecular tool for Timaliidae species identification and phylogenetic inference.