A taxonomic review and phylogeny of the Cyphorhinus arada complex (Hermann, 1783) (Aves: Troglodytidae)

Author(s)

Fernanda Bocalini

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB)
• Defense date: 2014-02-14

Examining board members

Luis Fábio Silveira; Mario Eric Cohn haft

• Advisor: Luis Fábio Silveira

Abstract

The genus Cyphorhinus is a member of the Troglodytidae family, and their species range from Honduras, in Central America, to the North of Mato Grosso in Brazil and Northern Bolivia. Currently the genus comprises three species: C. thoracicus; C. phaeocephalus and C. arada. The C. arada complex is endemic form the Amazon forest and has eight recognized subspecies: C. a. arada, C. a. salvini, C. a. modulator, C. a. transfluvialis, C. a. interpositus, C. a. griseolateralis, C. a. urbanoi and C. a. faroensis. A large geographical variation has been detected in this group, both in plumage patterns and in the vocalizations; however, no extensive taxonomic review has been done so far. This genus also has eight other taxa, six in the C. phaeocephalus complex and two subordinates to C. thoracicus. A phylogeny encompassing the relationship of the three species of this genus has never been proposed. The objective of this project was to review the taxonomy of the Cyphorhinus arada complex based on morphological and vocal characters, as well as to propose a complete phylogenetic hypothesis of the Cyphorhinus genus. It has been analyzed 672 specimens and 179 tape-recordings of the entire genus. The taxonomic revision revealed that the C. arada complex could be divided into six diferent phylogenetic species; C. a. urbanoi and C. a. faroensis were synonymized into C. arada and the remaining subspecies (transfluvialis, modulator, salvini, interpositus and griseolateralis) had morphological and vocal characters that allowed us to consider them as a valid species. The geographic distribution pattern of these six species followed nearly the same pattern of the Amazonian areas of endemism. For the phylogenetic analyses, 19 integumentary (color patterns) and three vocal characters were assembled. Four equally parsimonious trees were obtained. The topology of strict consensus cladogram presented many polytomies; on it the monophyly of the genus was corroborated, C. t. thoracicus and C. t. dichrous form a clade that is the sister group of the remaining taxa as well as the C. phaeocephalus and C. arada complexes forms a monophyletic group together. The biogeographic analysis revealed that the relationship between the species of the C. arada complex and their corresponding areas of endemism are poorly supported by previous studies. Therefore, it is recommended to use other data from different sources, such as molecular and osteological, for a better understanding of the phylogenetic affinities of the valid taxa recognized in this study (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/16632-0 - A taxonomic review of the Musican Wren Cyphorhinus arada (Herman, 1783) (Aves: Troglodytidae)
• Grantee: Fernanda Bocalini
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master