Multiple species and deep genomic divergences despite little phenotypic differentiation in an ancient Neotropical songbird, Tunchiornis ochraceiceps (Sclater, 1860) (Aves: Vireonidae)

Author(s)

Buainain, Nelson ^[1] ; Maximiano, Marina F. A. ^[1] ; Ferreira, Mateus ^[2] ; Aleixo, Alexandre ^[3] ; Faircloth, Brant C. ^{[4, 5]} ; Brumfield, Robb T. ^{[4, 5]} ; Cracraft, Joel ^[6] ; Ribas, Camila C. ^[7]

Affiliation

^[1] Inst Nacl Pesquisas Amazonia INPA, Programa Posgrad Ecol, Av Andre Araujo 2936, BR-69067375 Manaus, AM - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Roraima, Ctr Estudos Biodiversidade, Av Cap Ene Garcez 2413, BR-69304000 Roraima, RR - Brazil

^[3] Univ Helsinki, Finnish Museum Nat Hist, Helsinki - Finland

^[4] Louisiana State Univ, Museum Nat Sci, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 - USA

^[5] Louisiana State Univ, Dept Biol Sci, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 - USA

^[6] Amer Museum Nat Hist, Dept Ornithol, New York, NY 10024 - USA

^[7] Inst Nacl de Pesquisas da Amazonia, Coordenacao Biodiversidade, Av Andre Araujo 2936, BR-69067375 Manaus, Amazonas - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution; v. 162, SEP 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Several bird taxa have been recently described or elevated to full species and almost twice as many bird species than are currently recognized may exist. Defining species is one of the most basic and important issues in biological science because unknown or poorly defined species hamper subsequent studies. Here, we evaluate the species limits and evolutionary history of Tunchiornis ochraceiceps-a widespread forest songbird that occurs in the lowlands of Central America, Choco and Amazonia-using an integrative approach that includes plumage coloration, morphometrics, vocalization and genomic data. The species has a relatively old crown age (similar to 9 Ma) and comprises several lineages with little, if any, evidence of gene flow among them. We propose a taxonomic arrangement composed of four species, three with a plumage coloration diagnosis and one deeply divergent cryptic species. Most of the remaining lineages have variable but unfixed phenotypic characters despite their relatively old origin. This decoupling of genomic and phenotypic differentiation reveals a remarkable case of phenotypic conservatism, possibly due to strict habitat association. Lineages are geographically delimited by the main Amazonian rivers and the Andes, a pattern observed in studies of other understory upland forest Neotropical birds, although phylogenetic relationships and divergence times among populations are idiosyncratic. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/50260-6 - Structure and evolution of the Amazonian biota and its environment: an integrative approach
• Grantee: Lúcia Garcez Lohmann
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants