Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Thraupis (Aves, Tharupidae) and phylogeography of the T. episcopus-sayaca species complex

• Grant number: 17/03900-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: June 19, 2017
• End date: July 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Luís Fábio Silveira
• Grantee: Diego Alejandro Cueva Castro
• Supervisor: Scott Vernon Edwards
• Host Institution: Museu de Zoologia (MZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/22981-9 - Molecular phylogeny of Thraupis Boie, 1826 (Aves: Passeriformes) and taxonomic revision of the Thraupis episcopus (Linnaeus, 1766) - T. sayaca (Linnaeus, 1766) complex, BP.MS

Abstract

The genus Thraupis Boie, 1826, as currently defined, is a monophyletic group comprising seven species. Recent phylogenetic analyses have proven useful to identify well-supported relationships within the genus, but have yet to complete species- and subspecies-level sampling, explore patterns of phylogenetic variation at the subspecies level, and define species limits of certain taxa. Today, there is strong support for T. abbas being sister of a clade containing T. ornata and T. palmarum, and for a sister relationship between T. episcopus and T. sayaca. However, T. glaucocolpa has not been sampled yet and the position of T. cyanoptera remains unresolved. The T. episcopus-sayaca clade includes 17 subspecies spanning high degrees of morphological variation and wide geographic distribution ranges, which include regions of coexistence along the Amazonia-Cerrado ecotone where species identification is challenging and the existence of intermediate individuals has been reported. Furthermore, lack of taxonomic stability has been persistent at different taxonomy levels. Here, I propose to integrate genetic (2 mtDNA and 3 nuDNA markers) and phenotypic data (morphometrics and plumage coloration) to 1) explore phylogeographic variation and define species limits within the T. episcopus-saya complex and to 2) resolve the phylogeny of the genus Thraupis. Genomic DNA was extracted from vouchered specimens representing the complete distribution of the genus, with emphasis on the T. episcopus - T. sayaca group. After obtaining phylogenetic trees, evolutionary lineages will be compared based on bill, tail, and wing morphology. Furthermore, color patterns will be compared with assistance of color guides. Expected results will clarify phylogenetic relationships within the genus and will allow a classification in agreement with the evolutionary history of the group. (AU)