01999nas a2200217   4500008004100000245011700041210006900158260000900227300001400236490000800250520132600258653000901584653001501593653001501608653001501623653001001638653001601648100002101664700002301685856007301708       2004                        eng d00aThe evolutionary radiation of modern birds (Neornithes): reconciling molecules, morphology and the fossil record0 aevolutionary radiation of modern birds Neornithes reconciling mo  c2004  a153 - 1770 v1413 aThe pattern, timing and extent of the evolutionary radiation of anatomically modern birds (Neornithes) remains contentious:dramatically different timescales for this major event in vertebrate evolution have been recovered by the
‘clock-like’ modelling of molecular sequence data and from evidence extracted from the known fossil record. Because
current synthesis would lead us to believe that fossil and nonfossil evidence conflict with regard to the neornithine
timescale, especially at its base, it is high time that available data are reconciled to determine more exactly the evolutionary
radiation of modern birds. In this review we highlight current understanding of the early fossil history of
Neornithes in conjunction with available phylogenetic resolution for the major extant clades, as well as recent
advancements in genetic methods that have constrained time estimates for major evolutionary divergences.
Although the use of molecular approaches for timing the radiation of Neornithes is emphasized, the tenet of this
review remains the fossil record of the major neornithine subdivisions and better-preserved taxa. Fossils allowing
clear phylogenetic constraint of taxa are central to future work in the production of accurate molecular calibrations
of the neornithine evolutionary timescale.
10aaves10acladistics10aCretaceous10adivergence10ahosts10asystematics1 aDyke, Gareth, J.1 aVan Tuinen, Marcel  uhttp://www.phthiraptera.info/sites/phthiraptera.info/files/46271.pdf