Nesoenas
Encyclopedia
Nesoenas is a bird
genus
in the pigeon and dove family
, Columbidae. It is often included with the typical turtle-doves in Streptopelia
or the typical pigeons (Columba). By those wo accepted it, it was usually treated as monotypic
, containing only the Pink Pigeon
(N. mayeri) of Mauritius
.
Recent cladistic analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b
, cytochrome c oxidase
subunit
I and NADH dehydrogenase
subunit 2, as well as nuclear
β-fibrinogen
intron
7 sequence
data, combined with a distinct morphology
and behaviour, suggest that the genus is valid but not monotypic
. Nesoenas should actually refer to the apparently monophyletic lineage of Columbidae from the Madagascar
-Mascarenes region. Though most closely related to both Streptopelia and Columba, it cannot be unequivocally be considered a basal branch of either.
Separating from its relatives in Columba and Streptopelia probably in the Late Miocene
, perhaps some 8-7 million years ago, this lineage has characteristic vocalizations, and a generally reddish-hued plumage with a darker back and lighter underparts and head. At least in the living species, the rump and tail are colored contrastingly. The living species differ much in size, and the Pink Pigeon (and presumably its extinct Réunion
relative too) is notably large and apomorphic compared to the rather plesiomorphic but widespread Malagasy Turtle Dove (N. picturata). But even though the latter species has display plumage on the neck similar to that of several Columba and Streptopelia, these feathers have somewhat bifurcated tips, unlike in the two related genera. Theoretically, the smaller lineage could be separated as Homopelia, but most modern authors would probably consider this oversplitting
.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
in the pigeon and dove family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, Columbidae. It is often included with the typical turtle-doves in Streptopelia
Streptopelia
Streptopelia is a genus of birds in the dove family. These are mainly slim, small to medium-sized species. The upperparts tend to be pale brown, and the underparts are often a shade of pink. Many have a characteristic black-and-white patch on the neck, and monotonous cooing songs.The heartland of...
or the typical pigeons (Columba). By those wo accepted it, it was usually treated as monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
, containing only the Pink Pigeon
Pink Pigeon
The Pink Pigeon, Columba mayeri, is a species of Columbidae endemic to Mauritius, and is now very rare. It was on the brink of extinction in 1991 when only 10 individuals remained, but its numbers have increased due to the efforts of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust since 1977...
(N. mayeri) of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
.
Recent cladistic analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b
Cytochrome b
Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...
, cytochrome c oxidase
Cytochrome c oxidase
The enzyme cytochrome c oxidase or Complex IV is a large transmembrane protein complex found in bacteria and the mitochondrion.It is the last enzyme in the respiratory electron transport chain of mitochondria located in the mitochondrial membrane...
subunit
Protein subunit
In structural biology, a protein subunit or subunit protein is a single protein molecule that assembles with other protein molecules to form a protein complex: a multimeric or oligomeric protein. Many naturally occurring proteins and enzymes are multimeric...
I and NADH dehydrogenase
NADH dehydrogenase
NADH dehydrogenase is an enzyme located in the inner mitochondrial membrane that catalyzes the transfer of electrons from NADH to coenzyme Q...
subunit 2, as well as nuclear
Nuclear DNA
Nuclear DNA, nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid , is DNA contained within a nucleus of eukaryotic organisms. In mammals and vertebrates, nuclear DNA encodes more of the genome than the mitochondrial DNA and is composed of information inherited from two parents, one male, and one female, rather than...
β-fibrinogen
Fibrinogen
Fibrinogen is a soluble plasma glycoprotein, synthesised by the liver, that is converted by thrombin into fibrin during blood coagulation. This is achieved through processes in the coagulation cascade that activate the zymogen prothrombin to the serine protease thrombin, which is responsible for...
intron
Intron
An intron is any nucleotide sequence within a gene that is removed by RNA splicing to generate the final mature RNA product of a gene. The term intron refers to both the DNA sequence within a gene, and the corresponding sequence in RNA transcripts. Sequences that are joined together in the final...
7 sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
data, combined with a distinct morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
and behaviour, suggest that the genus is valid but not monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
. Nesoenas should actually refer to the apparently monophyletic lineage of Columbidae from the Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
-Mascarenes region. Though most closely related to both Streptopelia and Columba, it cannot be unequivocally be considered a basal branch of either.
Separating from its relatives in Columba and Streptopelia probably in the Late Miocene
Late Miocene
The Late Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages. The Tortonian and Messinian stages comprise the Late Miocene sub-epoch....
, perhaps some 8-7 million years ago, this lineage has characteristic vocalizations, and a generally reddish-hued plumage with a darker back and lighter underparts and head. At least in the living species, the rump and tail are colored contrastingly. The living species differ much in size, and the Pink Pigeon (and presumably its extinct Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
relative too) is notably large and apomorphic compared to the rather plesiomorphic but widespread Malagasy Turtle Dove (N. picturata). But even though the latter species has display plumage on the neck similar to that of several Columba and Streptopelia, these feathers have somewhat bifurcated tips, unlike in the two related genera. Theoretically, the smaller lineage could be separated as Homopelia, but most modern authors would probably consider this oversplitting
Lumpers and splitters
Lumping and splitting refers to a well-known problem in any discipline which has to place individual examples into rigorously defined categories. The lumper/splitter problem occurs when there is the need to create classifications and assign examples to them, for example schools of literature,...
.
Species
- Malagasy Turtle Dove or Malagasy Turtle-dove, Nesoenas picturata
- Rodrigues Turtle-dove, Nesoenas (picturata) rodericana – extinct (before 1690?)
- Pink PigeonPink PigeonThe Pink Pigeon, Columba mayeri, is a species of Columbidae endemic to Mauritius, and is now very rare. It was on the brink of extinction in 1991 when only 10 individuals remained, but its numbers have increased due to the efforts of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust since 1977...
, Nesoenas mayeri - Réunion Pink PigeonRéunion Pink PigeonThe Réunion Pink Pigeon is an extinct species of pigeon that formerly lived on the Mascarene island of Réunion. It is known from the description of a rusty-red pigeon given by Dubois in 1674 and a single subfossil humerus that agrees with that of the Pink Pigeon of Mauritius in generic...
, Nesoenas duboisi – extinct (c.1700)