Metaves


Metaves is a controversial clade proposed by Fain & Houde and later rescued on the studies of Ericson et al. and Hackett et al.. This group consists of several lineages that diversified early in Neornithes evolution. These lineages include Strisores, pigeons, sandgrouses, mesites, Eurypygae, tropicbirds and Mirandornithes, but the exact members of Metaves and their relationship differs between those studies, and the group is only supported by the β-fibrinogen gene.