Not surprisingly, given the similar level of homoplasy in the full gap-data matrix and the filtered matrix with 1-bp gaps removed, bootstrap support in analyses using identical numbers of informative characters was similar in trees made from both data sets (Figure 5a). In fact, only four nodes exhibited fairly large changes in bootstrap support when 1-bp gaps were removed. In three cases, this was an LPSURYHPHQWIURPWR; in the fourth case it was a decrease (from 69% to 12%). The node with reduced support united Picodynastornithes, a clade with independent corroboration (Table 1). In fact, Picodynastornithes was not present in the ML tree for gap data excluding 1-bp gaps; instead, the ML tree included a conflicting clade that comprised Coraciiformes and Bucerotiformes (supporting information, files 3 and 4). Similar results were obtained when both 1-bp and 2-bp gaps were excluded.