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Garg KM, Gwee CY, Chattopadhyay B, Ng NS, Prawiradilaga DM, David G, Fuchs J, Hung Le Manh, Martinez J, Olsson U, Vuong Tan Tu, Chhin S, Alström P, Lei F, Rheindt FE. When colors mislead: Genomics and bioacoustics prompt re-classification of Asian flycatcher radiation (Aves: Niltavinae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 193:107999. [PMID: 38160993 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Traditional classification of many animals, including birds, has been highly dependent on external morphological characters like plumage coloration. However, both bioacoustics and genetic or genomic data have revolutionized our understanding of the relationships of certain lineages and led to sweeping taxonomic re-organizations. In this study, we present a case of erroneous delimitation of genus boundaries in the species-rich flycatcher subfamily Niltavinae. Genera within this subfamily have historically been delineated based on blue versus brown male body plumage until recent studies based on a few mitochondrial and nuclear loci unearthed several cases of generic misclassification. Here we use extensive bioacoustic data from 43 species and genomic data from 28 species for a fundamental reclassification of species in the Niltavinae. Our study reveals that song is an important trait to classify these birds even at the genus level, whereas plumage traits exhibit ample convergence and have led to numerous historic misattributions. Our taxonomic re-organization leads to new biogeographic limits of major genera, such that the genus Cyornis now only extends as far east as the islands of Sulawesi, Sula, and Banggai, whereas Eumyias is redefined to extend far beyond Wallace's Line to the islands of Seram and Timor. Our conclusions advise against an over-reliance on morphological traits and underscore the importance of integrative datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika M Garg
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research, Ashoka University, Sonipat, India; Department of Biology, Ashoka University, Sonipat, India
| | - Chyi Yin Gwee
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Balaji Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Biology, Ashoka University, Sonipat, India; Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonipat, India
| | - Nathaniel S Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dewi M Prawiradilaga
- Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Bogor-Cibinong, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Gabriel David
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden; Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jérôme Fuchs
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, 22 S U, EPHE, UA CP51, Paris, France
| | - Hung Le Manh
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | | | - Urban Olsson
- Systematics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Center, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Vuong Tan Tu
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Sophea Chhin
- Department of Biodiversity, General Directorate of Policy and Strategy, Ministry of Environment, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Per Alström
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden; Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Fumin Lei
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Frank E Rheindt
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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