Table 3 Estimated divergence times for major avian clades compared across methods and topologies. Estimated time to most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of clades of non-controversial monophyletic status. Standard deviations are given in parentheses (for Dating5 and BEAST, standard deviations were calculated from 95% confidence/credibility intervals using a normal approximation). For r8s, PATHd8 and Multidivtime ages were estimated on each of the two fixed topologies (T Consensus and T Optimal). For BEAST, divergence times were estimated simultaneously with phylogeny (T Flexible). For each method an estimate of the magnitude of disagreement between fossil and molecular estimates of divergence times (δ Realized MA-FA ) is calculated as an average of MA-FA (the molecular age minus the fossil age) for those 18 internal nodes with calibration points.
From: Strong mitochondrial DNA support for a Cretaceous origin of modern avian lineages
| Â | Â | r8s | PATHd8 | Multidivtime | Dating5 | BEAST | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Node | tMRCA | T Consensus | T Optimal | T Consensus | T Optimal | T Consensus | T Optimal | T Optimal | T Flexible |
A | Neognaths-Paleognaths | 125.7 (12.4) | 131.1 (10.7) | 114.3 (6.9) | 102.8 (6.1) | 129.9 (11.0) | 132.4 (10.7) | 132.9 (11.6) | 133.2 (8.1) |
B | Paleognaths | 98.1 (10.6) | 104.8 (10.7) | 72.8 (5.0) | 66.3 (4.6) | 107.6 (11.2) | 110.1 (11.2) | 80 (6.8) | 105.9 (11.7) |
C | Galloanserae | 93.6 (10.7) | 100.7 (10.1) | 86.4 (5.5) | 78.7 (4.7) | 97.3 (9.9) | 100.6 (9.5) | 89.3 (3.2) | 110.4 (7.8) |
D | Galloanserae-Neoaves | 114.6 (12.1) | 121.9 (10.5) | 103.1 (6.0) | 93.1 (5.4) | 116.1 (11.0) | 120.8 (10.5) | 126.8 (6.1) | 126.0 (7.1) |
E | Neoaves | 104.5 (11.4) | 116.6 (9.9) | 90.4 (5.1) | 86.1 (5.0) | 101.3 (10.1) | 113.4 (10.1) | 123.9 (5.3) | 118.5 (6.8) |
F | Ratites | 67.4 (9.6) | 89.3 (12.1) | 49.5 (3.5) | 46.7 (3.2) | 92.1 (10.3) | 97.3 (10.4) | 40.6 (12.3) | 91.5 (12.0) |
G | Galliformes | 82.1 (9.7) | 88.4 (9.4) | 82.2 (6.0) | 73.2 (5.4) | 87.4 (9.5) | 87.2 (9.2) | 67.3 (11.3) | 99.0 (8.4) |
H | Anseriformes | 82.7 (10.1) | 89.1 (10.7) | 70.6 (4.0) | 67.1 (2.8) | 88.5 (9.3) | 91.5 (9.0) | 85.4 (4.1) | 100.5. (8.3) |
I | Charadriiformes | 81.8 (11.5) | 94.0 (9.2) | 55.4 (3.6) | 49.9 (3.1) | 80.2 (8.5) | 80.6 (7.8) | 41.9 (4.5) | 81.7 (6.3) |
J | Passeriformes | 85.4 (9.1) | 99.5 (8.2) | 89.0 (5.5) | 85.5 (5.2) | 78.4 (8.5) | 97.8 (9.3) | 84.9 (12.5) | 106.6 (7.2) |
K | Piciformes | 90.9 (10.1) | 99.6 (9.0) | 89.0 (5.5) | 79.0 (4.8) | 83.0 (9.2) | 91.1 (9.1) | 101.0 (8.8) | 93.6 (6.8) |
L | Procellariiformes | 73.8 (10.8) | 89.9 (9.1) | 55.6 (2.2) | 38.1 (2.8) | 80.0 (8.7) | 78.5 (7.8) | 38.8 (12.4) | 74.7 (7.3) |
M | Cuculiformes | 73.9 (8.3) | 79.5 (7.4) | 65.0 (4.4) | 60.1 (4.1) | 68.3 (8.0) | 74.3 (8.0) | 52.5 (6.7) | 74.1 (8.6) |
N | Strigiformes | 88.2 (9.9) | 94.7 (8.6) | 89.0 (5.9) | 79.0 (5.1) | 82.5 (9.7) | 88.5 (9.4) | 93.2 (11.5) | 84.2 (9.1) |
O | Apodiformes | 77.4 (9.3) | 75.1 (7.4) | 70.0 (5.6) | 53.5 (1.9) | 77.3 (9.0) | 63.4 (7.2) | 55.8 (9.1) | 80.5 (9.9) |
|  | δ Realized MA-FA | 39.8 | 44.6 | 24.2 | 16.9 | 36.8 | 36.1 | 24.8 | 36.5 |