Irby Lovette's paper on the Myiothlipis rivularis & Myiothlypis
Hi friends,
I came across an important paper by Irby J.Lovette, 2004,Molecular phylogeny and plumage signal evolution in a trans Andean and circum Amazonian avian species complex,
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 32:512–523, which has not been recognised widely.
I reproduce his conclusions below. Note the portion highlighted in red.
If anyone would like a pdf of this paper, please let me know privately.
In contrast, the mtDNA reconstructions presented here suggest that the Phaeothlypis complex is comprised of six well-differentiated, geographically structured mtDNA lineages and that five of these lineages originated nearly simultaneously in the mid-Pliocene.
The magnitude of mtDNA differentiation separating the six Phaeothlypis populations exceeds that between a number of pairs of other parulid warbler taxa that are widely considered valid species (e.g., Lovette and Bermingham, 1999; Lovette et al., 1999; Zink et al., 2000). From a phylogenetic species perspective, the Phaeothlypis complex would likely be subdivided into six species-level taxa. From a biological species concept perspective, the morphological hybrids from the zone of contact between the Central American and Choco populations (Wetmore et al., 1984) and the apparent introgression between the northern and southern Amazon basin populations (this study) show that these parapatric populations are not completely reproductively isolated. By extension, the allopatric populations with equivalent mtDNA differentiation also seem unlikely to be fully isolated by factors other than geography. Therefore, application of the biological species concept would support recognition of only a single species taxon, as advocated by Meyer de Schauensee (1966). Although these disparate systematic perspectives cannot be reconciled with existing information, I advocate the recognition of six species-level taxa, a taxonomic approach that has the advantage of acknowledging the deep phylogenetic divisions between most of these populations, and which would be problematic only in the area of potential introgression between the northern and southern Amazon basin populations where plumage phenotype may not be a reliable guide to genome-wide ancestry.
Dr John Penhallurick
email: jpenhall AT bigpond.net.au
