Assessment of species limits in African 'brown buntings' (Emberiza, Passeriformes) based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. (8th June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Olsson, Urban; Yosef, Reuven; Alström, Per; Collinson, Martin
• Is Part Of: Ibis. Volume 155:Number 3(2013:Jul.)
• Page Start: 534
• Page End: 543
• Publication Date: 2013-06-08
• Subjects: Birds -- Periodicals; 598
• DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12044
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0019-1019

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ibi12044-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>We estimated a phylogeny for 10 taxa currently placed in four polytypic species that collectively encompass the African 'brown buntings': Cape Bunting <italic>Emberiza capensis, </italic> Cinnamon‐breasted Bunting <italic>Emberiza tahapisi, </italic> Lark‐like Bunting <italic>Emberiza impetuani</italic> and House Bunting <italic>Emberiza striolata</italic>. We made use of the mitochondrial cytochrome <italic>b</italic> gene and the nuclear introns 6–7 of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), and intron 2 of myoglobin. There was substantial cytochrome <italic>b</italic> sequence divergence between taxa currently treated as conspecific: <italic>sahari</italic> vs. <italic>striolata</italic> (2.6–3.1% (uncorrected‐p); 3.0–3.6% (HKY + I)), and <italic>goslingi</italic> vs. <italic>tahapisi</italic> (4.4–4.7% (uncorrected‐p); 5.4–5.9% (HKY + I)). The degree of divergence of the nuclear loci among taxa was limited, and these loci lacked reciprocal monophyly, most likely as a consequence of incomplete lineage sorting. A single representative of the taxon <italic>septemstriata</italic>, generally treated as a member of the dark‐throated <italic>tahapisi</italic> group, here appears to be genetically consistent with the grey‐throated <italic>goslingi</italic>, and may be of hybrid origin. All other taxa allocated to <italic>E. striolata</italic> and <italic>E. tahapisi</italic> make up four reciprocally monophyletic groups consistent with <italic>sahari</italic>, <italic> striolata, tahapisi</italic> and <italic>goslingi</italic>, respectively. The extent of genetic evidence suggests that these taxa have been evolving as separate evolutionary lineages for a long time. This is further manifested in several morphological and vocal characteristics described previously, and we propose that these divergent taxa be treated as separate species: Cinnamon‐breasted Bunting <italic>Emberiza tahapisi, </italic> Gosling's Bunting <italic>Emberiza goslingi, </italic> Striolated Bunting <italic>Emberiza striolata</italic> and House Bunting <italic>Emberiza sahari</italic>. We do not propose any taxonomic changes regarding <italic>Emberiza impetuani</italic> or <italic>Emberiza capensis</italic>.</p> </abstract>