Classification Study On Sandgrouse And Gulls

The taxonomic position of the Sandgrouse has been a puzzle to the taxonomist of aves. There are four different standpoints which Sandgrouse should be: placed in Galliformes; fell under Columbiformes; fell under Charadriiformes; created an independent order to be called Pterocliformes. There are two different views of the gulls' taxonomic position: fell under the Charadriiformes; created an independent order of their own. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA(RAPD) analysis was used to assess genetic variability between several genus of birds(sandgrouse, gulls, Charadriiformes, Columbiformes and Galliformes ). According to results of cluster analysis, and superadd the morphologic and ecological character comparison, the following ideas were brought forward: the relation between Syrrhaptes paradoxus and the birds of Charadriiformes is the closest, so it should be merged into Charadriiformes;the relation of genus of gulls is closer to that of the birds of Charadriiformes, so it should be merged into Charadriiformes as Latidae.