Cryptic species in a colorful genus: integrative taxonomy of the bush robins (Aves, Muscicapidae, Tarsiger) suggests two overlooked species
Authors/Creators
- 1. Sun Yat-sen University
- 2. Naturalis Biodiversity Center
- 3. University of Gothenburg
- 4. Michigan State University
- 5. Uppsala University
- 6. Endemic Species Research Institute of Taiwan*
- 7. AEC Ltd.*
- 8. Chinese Academy of Sciences
- 9. Princeton University
Description
Several cryptic avian species have been validated by recent integrative taxonomic efforts in the Sino-Himalayan mountains, indicating that avian diversity in this global biodiversity hotspot may be underestimated. In the present study,we investigated species limits in the genus Tarsiger, the bush robins, a group of montane forest specialists with high species richness in the Sino-Himalayan region. Based on comprehensive sampling of all 11 subspecies of the six currently recognized species, we applied an integrative taxonomic approach by combining multilocus, acoustic, plumage and morphometric analyses. Our results reveal that the isolated north-central Chinese populations of Tarsiger cyanurus, described as the subspecies albocoeruleus but usually considered invalid, is distinctive in genetics and vocalisation, but only marginally differentiated in morphology. We also found the Taiwan endemic T. indicus formosanus to be distinctive in genetics, song and morphology from T. i. indicus and T. i. yunnanensis of the Sino-Himalayan mountains. Moreover, Bayesian species delimitation using BPP suggests that both albocoeruleus and formosanus merit full species status. We propose their treatment as 'Qilian Bluetail' T. albocoeruleus and 'Taiwan Bush Robin' T. formosanus, respectively.
Notes
NA=Missing value in Supplementary files
Funding provided by: Swedish Research Council
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004359
Award Number: 2019-04486
Funding provided by: Jornvall Foundation*
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Funding provided by: Mark and Mo Constantine*
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Funding provided by: China Postdoctoral foundation Grant*
Crossref Funder Registry ID:
Award Number: 2020A1515010887
Funding provided by: Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002855
Award Number: 2014FY210200
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Additional details
Related works
- Is source of
- 10.5281/zenodo.6549714 (DOI)