Flamingos and grebes are sistergroups, even if you dislike molecules!

["David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

Gerald Mayr: Morphological evidence for sister group relationship between
flamingos (Aves: Phoenicopteridae) and grebes (Podicipedidae), Zoological
Journal of the Linnean Society, 140, 157 -- 169 (February 2004)

Abstract:
"A recent molecular analysis strongly supported sister group relationship
between flamingos (Phoenicopteridae) and grebes (Podicipedidae), a
hypothesis which has not been suggested before. Flamingos are long-legged
filter-feeders whereas grebes are morphologically quite divergent
foot-propelled diving birds, and sister group relationship between these two
taxa would thus provide an interesting example of evolution of different
feeding strategies in birds. To test monophyly of a clade including grebes
and flamingos, I performed a cladistic analysis of 70 morphological
characters which were scored for 17 taxa. Parsimony analysis of these data
supported monophyly of the taxon (Podicipedidae + Phoenicopteridae) and the
clade received high bootstrap support. Previously overlooked morphological,
oological and parasitological evidence is recorded which supports this
hypothesis, and which makes the taxon (Podicipedidae + Phoenicopteridae) one
of the best supported higher-level clades within modern birds. The
phylogenetic significance of some fossil flamingo-like birds is discussed.
The Middle Eocene taxon Juncitarsus is most likely the sister taxon of the
clade (Podicipedidae + (Palaelodidae + Phoenicopteridae)) although
resolution of its exact systematic position awaits revision of the fossil
material. Contrary to previous assumptions, it is more parsimonious to
assume that flamingos evolved from a highly aquatic ancestor than from a
shorebird-like ancestor."

"Previously overlooked"... cool, eh? It's possible to overlook "one of the
best supported higher-level clades within modern birds" for the 250 years
from Linné to now. Impressive!!!

Now let's see if I can get the <arf, arf> paper... :-9

First Whippomorpha, now this... what next? *Wolbachia* as a synapomorphy of
Ecdysozoa? ;-)
        (*W.* is an intracellular parasitic bacterium in arthropods and
nematodes.)