Acanthis
Well-known member
Been enjoying rummaging through the supertree in "Barker, F. K., K. J. Burns, J. Klicka, S. M. Lanyon, and I. J. Lovette. 2015. New insights into New World biogeography: An integrated view from the phylogeny of blackbirds, cardinals, sparrows, tanagers, warblers, and allies. The Auk: Ornithological Advances 132: 333-348."
Am I alone in deriving so much nerdy pleasure from peering at a time-scaled bird phylogeny for hours on end?
Probably!
Sticking to the Cardinalidae my question is why haven't Periporphyrus & Rhodothraupis been folded into Caryothraustes?
Clearly they're all very closely related genetically.
Ok the two Caryothraustes species' males have an olive and green female-type plumage which is divergent in their 'Red bird' clade but looking at the females the only real difference seems to be a choice between black hood or black mask.
Also using google images both Rhodothraupis & Periporphyrus appear to have considerably paler bill-bases (as in Caryothraustes) than the paintings in HBW16 and Ridgely & Tudor would suggest.
Thoughts anyone?
Am I alone in deriving so much nerdy pleasure from peering at a time-scaled bird phylogeny for hours on end?
Probably!
Sticking to the Cardinalidae my question is why haven't Periporphyrus & Rhodothraupis been folded into Caryothraustes?
Clearly they're all very closely related genetically.
Ok the two Caryothraustes species' males have an olive and green female-type plumage which is divergent in their 'Red bird' clade but looking at the females the only real difference seems to be a choice between black hood or black mask.
Also using google images both Rhodothraupis & Periporphyrus appear to have considerably paler bill-bases (as in Caryothraustes) than the paintings in HBW16 and Ridgely & Tudor would suggest.
Thoughts anyone?
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