Abstract in:
https://securepages.co.nz/~gsnz/siteadm ... genesV.pdf
We sequenced mitochondrial genomes of three extinct species (stout-legged wren, Pachyplichas yaldwyni; Stephen’s Island wren, Traversia lyalli; bush wren, Xenicus longipes) and the remaining extant species (rock wren, Xenicus gilviventris) using a combination of hybridisation enrichment and high throughput next-generation sequencing. Molecular dating demonstrates unequivocally that the lineage leading to the Stephen’s Island wren diverged from the common ancestor of Xenicus, Pachyplichas and Acanthisitta prior to the Oligocene. As a result, two wren lineages survived through the Oligocene period, providing compelling evidence against complete submergence, as the acanthisittids are ill suited to long-range, overwater dispersal.
Phylogenetic analyses further suggest that the two Xenicus species (the extant rock wren and extinct bush wren) are not monophyletic, and instead the extinct stout-legged wren and rock wren are sister taxa, indicating a need for taxonomic reassessment of the group.