Serinus

Abstract: Die in konstanten Licht- und Temperaturbedingungen von 24 h abweichende, circadiane Aktivitatsperiodik von 3 Zeisigen und 1 Girlitz, konnte durch Artgesang, der den Tieren taglich 12 h lang in einem 24-stundigen Zyklus uber Lautsprecher vorgespielt wurde, synchronisiert werden Mit diesen Ergebnissen ist nachgewiesen, dass auch akustische (soziale) Reize als Zeitgeber wirken konnen

Abstract: Summary In 1984–1991, the incidence of salmonellas was studied in wild birds from various sites in the Czech Republic. On an agricultural farm with salmonellosis in calves, salmonellae were isolated from eight birds (seven Passer domesticus, one Serinus serinus) of 31 birds examined. On various agricultural farms with no salmonellosis in farm animals, salmonellae were found in two birds (Columba livia f. domestica) of 2186 birds examined. Of 35 birds caught at a municipal waste-dump site, salmonellae were isolated from one specimen (Larus canus). No salmonellae were found in birds living in reed growths and in various military training areas (557 and 116 birds examined, respectively). In black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus) from various areas with bodies of water, salmonellae were found in 4.2 % of 189 adults and 19.2 % of 740 non-flying young examined. S. typhimurium was the most common serotype isolated from gulls. Phage type 101 represented 32 % of 48 phage-typed strains. This study shows a relationship between the contamination of the environment with salmonellae and their incidence in wild birds.

Abstract: Mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) from 25 out of 31 extant goldfinches, siskins, greenfinches and redpolls (genus Carduelis) has been sequenced from living samples taken around the world, specimens have also been photographed. Phylogenetic analysis consistently gave the same groups of birds, and this grouping was generally related to geographical proximity. It has been supposed that Pleistocene glaciations played a crucial role in the origin of extant diversity and distribution of Northern Hemisphere vertebrates. Molecular comparison of most extant songbird species belonging to the genus Carduelis does not support this assertion. The fossil record of chicken and pheasant divergence time has been used to calibrate the molecular clock; cyt b DNA dendrograms suggest that speciation in Carduelinae birds occurred during the Miocene and Pliocene Epochs (9 – 2 million years ago) in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Only about 4% average amount of nucleotide substitution per lineage is found between the most distant Carduelis species; this suggests a remarkably rapid radiation when compared with the radiation of other passerine songbird genera. In addition, a continuum of small songbird speciation may be found during the Miocene Epoch in parallel with speciation of other orders (i.e. Galliformes, chicken/pheasant). Pleistocene glaciations may have been important in subspeciation (i.e. Eastern European grey-headed goldfinches/Western European black-headed goldfinches) and also in ice-induced vicariance (isolation) (i.e. siskin in Western Europe vs. siskin in Far East Asia) around the world. European isolated Serinus citrinella (citril finch) is not a canary, but a true goldfinch. South American siskins have quickly radiated in the last 4 million years coinciding with the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama; probably, a North American siskin related to C. notata invaded a suitable and varied biotope (the South American island) for Carduelis birds. North American goldfinches may be renamed as siskins, because they have a distant genetic relationship with European goldfinches. Genus Acanthis could be dropped, and thus redpolls should be separated from twite and linnet, the latter (Europeans) probably being related to American goldfinches. Also, reproductive barriers are observed between closely related species and not between other more distant ones. Finally, a tentative classification for genus Carduelis species is suggested.

Abstract: Mitochondrial cytochrome b (mit cyt b) DNA from 20 out of 37 extant canaries (genus Serinus) has been sequenced from living specimens photographed around the world. Phylogenetic analysis has consistently resulted in the same groupings of birds, which have generally been related to geographical proximity. The fossil registry of chicken and pheasant and its divergence time have been used to calibrate the molecular clock; mit cyt b DNA dendrograms suggest that the Serinus bird lineage appeared in the Miocene (9 MYA), a time when the Mediterranean Sea was closing its western and eastern oceanic connections. Pleistocene glaciations (starting 2 MYA) may have only been important in the subspeciation and isolation of birds in the Northern and Southern hemispheres around the world, and not only in North America, where it has already been described. The European-isolated Serinus citrinella (Citril finch) is not a canary but rather a true goldfinch. Only about 4% average nucleotide divergence is found among the different Serinus species; this suggests a remarkably rapid radiation when compared to other passerine (songbird) genera radiations. In addition, reproductive barriers are observed between closely related species but not between other more distant ones. Finally, a tentative classification for the genus Serinus species is put forward.