The evolutionary relationships of the avian family Heliornithidae will be determined by solution DNA hybridization and nucleotide sequence comparisons. Alternate hypotheses of heliornithid relationships are predicted differentially by the assumptions of molecular versus morphological and paleontological studies of organismal relationships. The assumptions include, but are not limited to, the correlation of phylogeny and biogeography, the constancy of the rate of evolution of DNA, and the irreversibility of morphological specializations. Resolution of finfoot relationships will test these assumptions indirectly, hence their general applicability to other groups. This study is feasible only because the DNA of some very rare species will be cloned from long-dead museum specimens, demonstrating unforeseen utility of museum collections. Dr. Peter W. Houde will conduct this postdoctoral fellowship research during a two-year tenure period at Princeton University.
