Ye, Fanchen

English

Brophy, Timothy R.

Liberty University Digital Commons

Title – Molecular Data Confirm the Presence of Multiple Landfowl KindsProgram of Study – Center for Creation Studies and Department of Biology & Chemistry Presentation Type – Physical PosterSubtype – BasicMentor(s) and Mentor Email – Dr. Timothy R. Brophy (tbrophy@liberty.edu)Student name(s) and email(s) – Fanchen Ye (fye@liberty.edu)Abstract: The landfowl (Class Aves: Order Galliformes) are a cosmopolitan group of birds that include well known species like chickens, turkeys, pheasants, partridges, grouse, quail, guineafowl, peafowl, guans, and mound-builders. These are divided into seven families in the superfamilies Cracoidea (families Cracidae and Megapodiidae) and Phasianoidea (families Numididae, Meleagrididae, Tetraonidae, Odontophoridae, and Phasianidae). Previous baraminological analyses have not all agreed upon the number of created kinds found in this modern taxonomic order. We utilized new molecular baraminology techniques to further investigate this question regarding the landfowl and their commonly recognized relatives in the Order Anseriformes (ducks, geese, and screamers). DNA sequences from four mitochondrial genes (CO1, CYTB, NADH1, and NADH2) were gathered from the GenBank database and aligned using MEGA. Sequences were analyzed using hierarchical clustering, classic multidimensional scaling, and medoid partitioning in RStudio. Several consistent patterns emerged from our analyses: 1) Superfamily Phasianoidea consistently formed significant/separate clusters across all genes and analyses; 2) Superfamily Cracoidea, as a whole group or each family individually, formed significant/separate clusters in many gene/analysis pairs; 3) Related Order Anseriformes usually formed one or two significant/separate clusters across many gene/analysis pairs; 4) Superfamily Cracoidea, both families together or each one separately, had a tendency in some genes and analyses to cluster weakly with or near the Anseriformes clusters; 5) Family Cracidae had a tendency in some genes and analyses to cluster weakly with the Phasianoidea with whom they are known to hybridize. One consistent finding across all genes and analyses is the observation that there is more than one created kind within the modern landfowl order (possibly 2 or 3). The above findings are consistent with recent baraminological analyses of morphological and hybridization data that suggest the presence of two landfowl kinds (Megapodiidae and Phasianoidea + Cracidae).

Molecular Data Confirm the Presence of Multiple Landfowl Kinds

https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=0&article=2217&context=research_symp&type=additional

Molecular Data Confirm the Presence of Multiple Landfowl Kinds

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