Taxonomic Relationships of Some Columba Species

The taxonomic relationships within the pigeon studies revealed species differences in the elecgenus Columba remain uncertain despite the trophoretic mobilities of the ovalbumins that considerable attention accorded this group of could be correlated with the Old and New species.Ridgway (1916) placed 14 of the New World distribution of the species.An exami-World species in 10 genera to emphasize their nation of the angle on the skull at the frontal morphological differences.Peters ( 1937) dis-hinge and a study of the structure along the agreed with these assignments, combined trailing edge of the tenth primary indicated to Ridgway' s genera, and place' d 52 species in the Johnston ( 1962) that the genus should be split genus Columba.Cumley and Irwin ( 1944), into three genera.The result was a nearly Irwin ( 1953)) and Irwin and Miller ( 1961) complete separation of the Old and New studied the blood cell antigens of 11 species of World species.Columba and concluded that each of the six The results of several other investigations American species of the genus tested was more are of value for a clarification of the pigeon closely related serologically to one of the other relationships.These include the studies of five than to any one of the five Old World spe-hybrid formation (Cavazza 1931; Ghigi 1932; cies examined.Miculicz-Radecki ( 1949) pub-Taibel 1934, 1935, 1947; Hertwig 1936; Frank lished a partial phylogeny of the genus based 1940; Tomek 1958; Creutz 1961), additional on studies of plumage pattern and coloration.serological studies (Irwin and Cole 1936; Irwin She proposed that certain New World species et al. 1936; Cumley et al. 1942, 1943; Irwin and are most closely related to the ancestral stock Cumley 1942,1943; Miller 1953; Cavalli-Sforza of the genus.The phylogeny of the genus pre-et al. 1954, 1955; Bryan and Irwin 1961), and pared by Boetticher ( 1954) is more extensive observations on distribution, ecology, behavior, than that of Miculicz-Radecki, places certain or plumage (Cumley and Cole 1942; Cumley New World species closest to the ancestral 1943; Miculicz-Radecki 1950; Boetticher 1960; line, derives the Old World species from two Goodwin 1960,1964,1966; Harrison 1960; Vaumajor lines of descent branching from New rie 1961; Murton and Isaacson 1962; Peeters World types, and gives subgeneric status to 1962; Pitwell and Goodwin 1964).each of Ridgway' s New World genera.Ver-It is evident that there is still a lack of agreeheyen (1957) placed 49 species into 11 genera ment concerning those species that should be on the basis of his osteological data.This included in the genus Columba.In this paper action resulted in a complete separation of the Columba is synonymous with the comprehen-Old and New World species.The large genus sive genus proposed by Peters.Evidence in Cotumba was retained by Goodwin (1959) support of this position will be presented.who examined the color patterns of the 52 spe-The ovalbumin tryptic peptide maps of 18 cies in the genus as designated by Peters.pigeon species including 10 species of Co-However, Goodwin proposed the division of lumba are shown.For comparative purposes the genus into four subgenera, one of which he the peptide maps of chicken and Mallard further subdivided into five species-groups ovalbumins also are included.The genetic (this term is defined by Cain 1954).The first four species-groups and the subgenera Tur-relationships of the 10 Columba species examturoena and Nesoenus contain the Old World ined have been inferred using the similarities species while those of the New World are and differences among the peptide maps as a placed in the fifth species-group and the sub-basis for comparison.The relationships so ingenus Oenoenas.Goodwin' s illustration of the dicated are compared with previous classificarelationships within the genus shows four ma-tions of the genus.jor lines of descent from the ancestral type.MATERIALS AND METHODS Sibley (1960) and Corbin (1965) examined Baker and Manwell ( 1962) observed that the catalatic the egg-white proteins of five and 10 Columba activity of chicken egg white was coincident with the species, respectively, using the techniques of ovalbumin components after electrophoresis in starchpaper and starch-gel electrophoresis.These gels.But Corbin and Brush (1966) showed that catalase is not present in egg white and that the 111 The Condor, 70:1-13, 1968