Phylogenetic Relationship of Perdix dauuricae Inferred from Mitochondrial Cytochrome b Gene

The relationship of Perdix between pheasants and partridges as well as some other Galliform species is uncertain because of rapid radiation. In this study,the relationship was investigated via mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (Cytb) nucleotide sequence in 18 individuals of 10 genera in Phasianidae. Amplified Cytb sequences by PCR technique with primers designed by ourselves based upon Galliform sequence data,828 bp were obtained and used to analyse. The result of neighbor-joining method analyses of Cytb sequences with Anhima cornuta and Kachuga dhongoka as outgroup,respectively,showed that P.dauuricae belonged to the pheasants. The obtained phylogenies were generally not in accordance with the taxonomy based on the traditional morphological analysis. In addition,the branching patterns in the phylogenic trees were supported with short branch lengths and low bootstrap values,based on molecular analysis of Phasianidae and Tetraonidae,none of the analyses could resolve the position of Perdix,which were congruent with previous studies in Galliform. The result also suggests that,for mtDNA studies,K.dhongoka may be a better outgroup for birds than A.cornuta.