On the Origin of Darwin's Finches

Abstract

Abstract We critically reviewed recent attempts to identify the ancestor of Darwin's finches (Emberizidae, "Geospizinae"), and summarized new information on taxa that have been suggested as sister groups of the geospizines, specifically the emberizines Tiaris, Melanospiza, and Volatinia. Reproductive behaviors and displays are conservative among Darwin's finches, and have been neglected in discussions of the ancestry of the group. We concentrate on these characters. We found that Tiaris and Melanospiza share a large number of apparently derived epigamic behaviors with the geospizines, none of which are exhibited by Volatinia.