Ancient DNA resolves the subspecific identity of the holotype of the Galah Eolophus roseicapilla, a widespread Australian cockatoo
Leo Joseph A E , Patrick Boussès B , Thomas Wilke C and Jeremy J. Austin DA Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
B Collections Mammifères et Oiseaux, Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Case Postale 51, 55 rue Buffon, F-75005 Paris, France.
C Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
D Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: Leo.Joseph@csiro.au
Emu 116(4) 472-475 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU16061
Submitted: 26 May 2016 Accepted: 2 August 2016 Published: 19 September 2016
Abstract
Conventional thinking for many years held that the holotype of the Galah Eolophus roseicapilla, obtained in 1801 by the Baudin Expedition from France, was from south-eastern Australia. This did not mesh well with what is known of Galahs not having occurred in that part of Australia at that time. That it must have been a western bird is now strongly supported by bibliographic and morphological evidence. Our earlier phylogeographic study of the Galah had shown geographical structure in its mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We reasoned that if mtDNA could be extracted from the holotype the matter should be resolvable. We report the results of this work and affirm the case made from morphological and bibliographic data.
Additional keywords: Australian birds, biogeography, parrots, taxonomy.
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