
%0 Journal Article
%A Baverstock, PR 
%A Christidis, L 
%A Krieg, M 
%A Birrell, J 
%T Rates of Albumin Evolution in Parrots (Aves, Psittaciformes)
%J Australian Journal of Zoology
%D 1992/06/01
%V 40
%N 3
%P 313-318
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO9920313
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/ZO9920313 
%X A number of lines of evidence suggest that the rate of molecular evolution in birds is slower than in other vertebrates. This hypothesis was tested by measuring the extent of amino-acid sequence divergence in albumin among species of parrots by means of microcomplement fixation. This group was chosen because its modern distribution is strongly suggestive of a Gondwanan origin. The results show that the intercontinental albumin distances are well below those expected for a Gondwanan group. These data are in accord with the hypothesis that birds have a slower rate of molecular evolution, although other explanations are possible. 
