From Opus

Genus: Carduelis

[edit] Description

A genus of small finches with a fondness for thistle seed, including goldfinches, siskins, redpolls, and linnets. Some species (the goldfinches) have large areas of yellow plumage and boldly marked wings, while others (the siskins and redpolls) are heavily streaked.

[edit] Taxonomy

The greenfinches are sometimes included, but sometimes treated as a separate genus Chloris.

Recent research shows that crossbills (presently in Loxia) may warrant inclusion.

Mitochondrial DNA analysis of these species has shown that the common names given to the European and American forms do not reflect the relationships of these species. Instead the following groupings have been proposed:

• the three North American goldfinches, the siskins, Twite, and the linnets

• the redpolls

• the European goldfinches

[edit] References

Arnaz-Villena et al (1998), Phylogeny and rapid Northern and Southern Hemisphere speciation of goldfinches during the Miocene and Pliocene Epochs. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 54:9.