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==Taxonomy and systematics== The family Hirundinidae was introduced (as Hirundia) by the French [[polymath]] [[Constantine Samuel Rafinesque]] in 1815.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Rafinesque | first=Constantine Samuel | author-link=Constantine Samuel Rafinesque | year=1815 | title=Analyse de la nature ou, Tableau de l'univers et des corps organisΓ©s | volume=1815 | publisher=Self-published | place=Palermo | language=fr | page=68 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48310146 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Bock | first=Walter J. | year=1994 | title=History and Nomenclature of Avian Family-Group Names | series=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History | volume= 222 | publisher=American Museum of Natural History | place=New York | pages=149, 252 | hdl=2246/830 }}<!--Linked page allows download of the 48MB pdf--></ref> The Hirundinidae are morphologically unique within the passerines, with molecular evidence placing them as a distinctive lineage within the [[Sylvioidea]] ([[Old World warbler]]s and relatives).<ref>{{cite journal | last1=AlstrΓΆm | first1= Per |first2= Urban|last2= Olsson|first3= Fumin|last3= Lei|year=2013 | title=A review of the recent advances in the systematics of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea | journal=Chinese Birds | volume=4 | issue=2 | pages=99β131 | url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266141539 |doi=10.5122/cbirds.2013.0016| doi-access=free | bibcode= 2013AvRes...4...99A }}</ref> Phylogenetic analysis has shown that the family Hirundinidae is [[sister taxon|sister]] to the [[cupwing]]s in the family [[Pnoepygidae]]. The two families diverged in the early [[Miocene]] around 22 million years ago.<ref>{{ cite journal | last1=Oliveros | first1=C.H. | display-authors=etal | year=2019 | title=Earth history and the passerine superradiation | journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States | volume=116 | issue=16 | pages=7916β7925 | doi=10.1073/pnas.1813206116 | pmid=30936315 | pmc=6475423 | bibcode=2019PNAS..116.7916O | doi-access=free }}</ref> Within the family, a clear division exists between the two subfamilies, the Pseudochelidoninae, which are composed of the two species of river martins,<ref name="Mayr 1951"/><ref name="Sheldon">{{cite journal|last1=Sheldon|first1=Frederick H.|last2=Whittingham|first2=Linda A.|last3=Moyle|first3=Robert G.|last4=Slikas|first4=Beth|last5=Winkler|first5=David W.|title=Phylogeny of swallows (Aves: Hirundinidae) estimated from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|date=April 2005|volume=35|issue=1|pages=254β270|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2004.11.008|pmid=15737595|bibcode=2005MolPE..35..254S |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7995527}}</ref> and the Hirundininae, into which the remaining species are placed. The division of the Hirundininae has been the source of much discussion, with various taxonomists variously [[lumping and splitting|splitting]] them into as many as 24 genera and lumping them into just 12. Some agreement exists that three core groups occur within the Hirundininae: the saw-wings of the genus ''[[Psalidoprocne]]'', the core martins, and the swallows of the genus ''[[Hirundo]]'' and their allies.<ref name ="HBW"/> The saw-wings are the most [[Basal (phylogenetics)|basal]] of the three, with the other two clades being [[sister clade|sister]] to each other. The phylogeny of the swallows is closely related to evolution of nest construction; the more basal saw-wings use burrows as nest, the core martins have both burrowing (in the Old World members) and cavity adoption (in New World members) as strategies, and the genus ''Hirundo'' and its allies use mud nests.<ref name="WinklerSheldon1993">{{cite journal|last1=Winkler|first1=D. W.|last2=Sheldon|first2=F. H.|title=Evolution of nest construction in swallows (Hirundinidae): a molecular phylogenetic perspective|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|volume=90|issue=12|year=1993|pages=5705β5707|issn=0027-8424|doi=10.1073/pnas.90.12.5705|pmid=8516319|bibcode=1993PNAS...90.5705W|pmc=46790|doi-access=free}}</ref> The genus level [[cladogram]] shown below is based on a [[molecular phylogenetic]] study by Drew Schield and collaborators that was published in 2024.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Schield | first1=D.R. | last2=Brown | first2=C.E. | last3=Shakya | first3=S.B. | last4=Calabrese | first4=G.M. | last5=Safran | first5=R.J. | last6=Sheldon | first6=F.H. | date=2024 | title=Phylogeny and historical biogeography of the swallow family (Hirundinidae) inferred from comparisons of thousands of UCE loci | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=197 | pages=108111 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108111| pmid=38801965 }}</ref> The choice of [[genera]] and the number of species is taken from the list of birds maintained by [[Frank Gill (ornithologist)|Frank Gill]], [[Pamela C. Rasmussen]] and David Donsker on behalf of the [[International Ornithological Committee]] (IOC).<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=February 2025 | title=Swallows | work=IOC World Bird List Version 15.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/swallows/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=15 April 2025 }}</ref> {{Clade | style=font-size:90%;line-height:90% |label1=[[Hirundinidae]] |1={{clade |1={{clade |label1=Pseudochelidoninae |1=''[[Pseudochelidon]]'' β river martins (2 species) |label2=Hirundininae |2={{clade |1=''[[Psalidoprocne]]'' β saw-wings (5 species) |2={{clade |label1=mud nesters |1={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Ptyonoprogne]]'' β crag martins (5 species) |2=''[[Hirundo]]'' β swallows (16 species) }} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Atronanus]]'' β forest swallow |2=''[[Delichon]]'' β house martins (4 species) }} |2={{clade |1=''[[Petrochelidon]]'' β includes cliff swallows (10 species) |2=''[[Cecropis]]'' β swallows (9 species) }} }} }} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Pseudhirundo]]'' β grey-rumped swallow |2=''[[Cheramoeca]]'' β white-backed swallow }} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Phedina]]'' β Mascarene martin |2={{clade |1=''[[Neophedina]]'' β banded martin |2=''[[Phedinopsis]]'' β Brazza's martin }} }} |2={{clade |1=''[[Riparia]]'' β martins (6 species) |label2=New World endemics |2={{clade |1=''[[Tachycineta]]'' β swallows (9 species) |2={{clade |1=''[[Progne]]'' β martins (9 species) |2={{clade |1=''[[Stelgidopteryx]]'' β rough-winged swallows (2 species) |2={{clade |1=''[[Atticora]]'' β swallows (3 species) |2={{clade |1=''[[Pygochelidon]]'' β swallows (2 species) |2={{clade |1=''[[Alopochelidon]]'' β tawny-headed swallow |2=''[[Orochelidon]]'' β swallows (3 species) }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} === Fossil record === The oldest known fossil swallow is ''[[Miochelidon|Miochelidon eschata]]'' from the [[Early Miocene]] of [[Siberia]]; it is the only record of Hirundinidae from the [[Miocene]]. It is likely a basal member of the family.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Volkova |first=N. V. |date=2024-08-28 |title=The Oldest Swallow (Aves: Passeriformes: Hirundinidae) from the Upper Lower Miocene of Southeastern Siberia |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1134/S0012496624600258 |journal=Doklady Biological Sciences |volume=518 |issue=1 |pages=261β265 |language=en |doi=10.1134/S0012496624600258 |pmid=39212885 |issn=0012-4966|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
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