Phylogenetic Relationships of Monal Pheasants Lophophorus Inferred from Sequences of Mitochondrial Cytochrome b Gene

The phylogeny of the monal pheasants (Lophophorus) and their relationships to some species of the genera Tragopan,Pucrasia and Ithaginis were studied by comparing mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) nucleotide sequences.The molecular phylogenetic trees show that:1)the genus Tragopan and the genus Pucrasia share a common ancestor which is the sister taxon of the ancestor of the genus Lophophorus;2)the genus Lophophorus had evolved into two branches:One was the Sclaters Monal;the other included the Chinese Monal and the Himalayan Monal.Considering its molecular phylogeny,distribution patterns and morphological evidences,the genus Lophophorus might originate in the Hengduan mountains region of southwestern China.