Morphological characteristics follow the mtDNA sequence of evolutionary descent within the family Calcariidae. By David Rach with Eric C. Atkinson So what is a Calcariidae??? Calcariidae • Family of sexually dimorphic, sparrow-like passerines that inhabit shrub steppe habitats of North America Calcariidae • Family of sexually dimorphic, sparrow-like passerines that inhabit shrub steppe habitats of North America • Arose 4.2-6.5 mya during a Miocene period of accelerated drying and cooling. • 6 Species, 4 of which are found in Wyoming In Wyoming during the Summer Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) CCLO McCown’s Longspur (Rynchophanes mccownii) MCLO In Wyoming during the Winter Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) SNBU Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) LALO Not found in Wyoming Smith’s Longspur (Calcarius pictus) SMLO McKay’s Bunting Plectrophenax hyperboreus MKBU McCown’s Longspur Female Male Previously Believed Calcariidae Longspurs Buntings CCLO SMLO MCLO LALO SNBU MKBU Currently Believed Calcariidae Calcarius Rynchophanes Plectrophenax CCLO SMLO LALO MCLO SNBU MKBU Purpose of Study: • Avian Taxonomy • Does the Morphology follow the DNA? • Trait that distinguishes between the two sub-clades? Identifying and Cataloging Museum Specimens Methods Measurements • Wing Chord (natural) • Tail Length • Tarsus (Leg) Length • Hallux (Toe Nail) Length Measurements • Exposed Culmen • Bill Length • Bill Depth • Bill Width Statistics: • Principal Component Analysis (PCA) • Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) • Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) Results • The PCA took the raw data variability and represented it as a reduced set of components. • First Factor encapsulated variability of approximately 3.6 original variables, • The second factor represented nearly 1.5 variables. Variables (axes F1 and F2: 64.74 %) 1 0.75 HALLUX TARSUS 0.5 TAIL_L 0.25 0 Wing Chord -0.25 BIL_W EXPCUL F2 (17.81 %) F2 (17.81 BILL_D BILL_L -0.5 -0.75 -1 -1 -0.75 -0.5 -0.25 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 F1 (46.93 %) Biplot (axes F1 and F2: 64.74 %) 3 LALO LALO LALO 2 LALO HALLUXLALOLALO SMLO LALO SNBU LALO SMLO LALOLALO LALO LALO LALO TAR SNBU 1 LALOSMLO MKBULALOLALOLALOSNBUTAIL_L SNBU SMLOSMLO SNBUSMLO MKBU LALOSMLOSMLO SNBUMKBULALO SNBU SNBU SMLOSMLO LALO LALOLALO SNBU SMLO SNBU SNBU SNBU CCLO LALOSMLOLALO LALOMKBULALO LALOWC SNBUMKBUSNBU SMLOLALO SMLOMKBUSMLO MKBU MKBU SNBU 0 SMLOLALO LALOSNBUSNBUMKBU MKBU SMLO SMLO MKBU SMLO SMLOSMLO SNBU SNBU SNBUSNBU CCLO CCLO SMLO MKBUMKBUMKBUSMLOSNBU MKBUBIL_WEXPCUL MKBU SNBU CCLO MKBU MKBUBILL_L MKBUMKBUSNBU CCLO CCLO BILL_D CCLO SNBUSNBUMKBU -1 CCLO CCLOSMLO MKBU LALO SNBUSNBU F2 (17.81 %) SMLO SNBU MKBUMKBUMKBU CCLO SNBU -2 MCLOMCLO MCLO -3 MCLO MCLO MCLO MCLO MCLO -4 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 F1 (46.93 %) F1 Factor Category LS means Groups SNBU 1.738 A MKBU 1.219 A LALO -0.192 B MCLO -0.404 B SMLO -1.515 C CCLO -3.557 D F2 Factor Category LS means Groups LALO 1.000 A SMLO 0.275 B SNBU 0.041 B C MKBU -0.259 C D CCLO -0.739 D MCLO -3.156 E CCLO SMLO LALO MCLO MKBU SNBU Conclusion • The F1 Factor correlates with overall body size, with Arctic birds being larger than prairie birds. • F2 Factor correlates with Hallux Length inversely tied Bill measurements, and when plotted mimics the mtDNA sequence. Snow Bunting and McKay’s Bunting • Additionally found that there is no significant morphological difference between Snow Bunting and McKay Bunting. Acknowledgements I would like to thank: • E. Atkinson, J. Campbell, R. Hitchcock, R. Dechert, among with many others for their help and support over the course of the project. • Dr. Kevin Winker, University of Alaska – Fairbanks and Dr. Jay Rotella, Montana State University – Bozeman for lending us the specimens that were used in the course of the project. • Brian E. Small, Gerrit Vyn, Kevin Karlson, Dr. Brendel and Daniel Baney for the use of the images. • And the many friends and coworkers who have helped me work out problems over the last year. .