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Summary phylogenetic hypothesis of paleognath familial relationships (Cooper et al., 2001; Haddrath and Baker, 2001). The basal family within the ratites appears to be either Rheidae or Dinornithidae.  Placement of the extinct Elephantbirds (Aepyornithidae) is unclear.

Containing group: Neornithes

References

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Baccetti, B., A. G. Burrini, and E. Falchetti. 1991. Spermatozoa and relationships in palaeognath birds. Biology of the Cell 71: 209-216.

de Boer, L. E. M. 1980. Do the chromosomes of the kiwi provide evidence for a monophyletic origin of the ratites? Nature 287: 84-85.

Caspers, G. J., J. Wattel, and W. W. de Jong. 1994. Alpha A-crystallin sequences group tinamou with ratites. Molecular Biology and Evolution 11: 711-713.

Cooper, A., C. Lalueza-Fox, S. Anderson, A. Rambaut, J. Austin, and R. Ward. 2001. Complete mitochondrial genome sequences of two extinct moas clarify ratite evolution. Nature 409: 704-707.

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