Emberiza (1 Viewer)

October 2021
October 25
Emberizidae — Old World Buntings: I'm now using the phylogeny of Päckert et al. (2020b), rather than Päckert et al. (2015). As a result, I've divided Emberizidae into 4 subfamilies. Of them, only Emberizinae has a name under ICZN rules. I'm using the informal terms Melophinae, Fringillariinae, and Schoeniclinae for the other three. These subfamilies have the same composition as the same clades previously had. However, their order has changed.
[Emberizidae, Core Passeroidea, 3.06]

New Emberizid genera: With genera becoming subfamilies, more genera are in order. The generic divisions are based on three principles. They must be (1) based on the phylogeny, (2) roughly 5-10 million years old, and (3) form groups that are as coherent as possible. This involved adding 11 genera. Two lack names, and have been given temporary designations in quotes. Here are the new genera:

"Melophus": Brown-rumped Bunting, Melophus affinis, is transferred from Melophus to "Melophus".
Granativora: Black-headed Bunting, Melophus melanocephalus, and Red-headed Bunting, Melophus bruniceps, are transferred from Melophus to Granativora (GR Gray, 1855, type melanocephalus).
Miliaria: Corn Bunting, Emberiza calandra, is transferred from Emberiza to Miliaria (Brehm 1828, monotypic).
Spina: Chestnut-eared Bunting, Emberiza fucata, is transferred from Emberiza to Spina (Kaup 1829, monotypic).
"Emberiza": Tibetan Bunting, Emberiza koslowi, is transferred from Emberiza to "Emberiza".
Cia: Jankowski's Bunting, Emberiza jankowskii, through Godlewski's Bunting, Emberiza godlewskii, are transferred from Emberiza to Cia (Kaup 1829, type cia).
Glycyspina: Gray-necked Bunting, Emberiza buchanani, through Cretzschmar's Bunting, Emberiza caesia, are transferred from Emberiza to Glycyspina (Cabanis 1851, type hortulana).
Polymitra: Cabanis's Bunting, Fringillaria cabanisi, Golden-breasted Bunting, Fringillaria flaviventris, and Somali Bunting Fringillaria poliopleura, are transferred from Fringillaria to Polymitra (Cabanis 1851, type flaviventris).
Cristemberiza: Yellow-throated Bunting, Schoeniclus elegans, is transferred to Cristemberiza (Momiyama 1928, monotypic).
Latoucheornis: Slaty Bunting, Schoeniclus siemsseni, is transferred to Latoucheornis (Bangs 1931, monotypic).
Orospina: Rustic Bunting, Schoeniclus rustica, through Gray Bunting, Schoeniclus variabilis, are transferred to Orospina (Kaup 1829, type rustica).
[Emberizidae, Core Passeroidea, 3.06]

Sharpe's Bunting: I added the second English name Yunnan Bunting (HBW Illustrated Checklist) to Sharpe's Bunting, Cia yunnanensis.
[Emberizidae, Core Passeroidea, 3.06]

Jim LeNomenclatoriste said:

Polymitra: Cabanis's Bunting, Fringillaria cabanisi, Golden-breasted Bunting, Fringillaria flaviventris, and Somali Bunting Fringillaria poliopleura, are transferred from Fringillaria to Polymitra (Cabanis 1851, type flaviventris).

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I was just looking at this.

The Key to Scientific Names has capensis as the type of Polymitra, making it a junior synonym of Fringillaria. The golden-breasted group would then be called Cosmospina Wolters, 1972.

Anyone know who is correct?

andrew147 said:

I was just looking at this.

The Key to Scientific Names has capensis as the type of Polymitra, making it a junior synonym of Fringillaria. The golden-breasted group would then be called Cosmospina Wolters, 1972.

Anyone know who is correct?

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Yep ! I also used Cosmospina in the past

andrew147 said:

I was just looking at this.

The Key to Scientific Names has capensis as the type of Polymitra, making it a junior synonym of Fringillaria. The golden-breasted group would then be called Cosmospina Wolters, 1972.

Anyone know who is correct?

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In my opinion, E. affinis belongs to the genus Cosmospina

Polymitra is a purist substitute for Fringillaria, hence an objective junior synonym of the latter by definition.
Spina and Orospina are both problematic IMO (type species unidentifiable, and very unlikely to have been the taxonomic species they have been used for in recent times).

My current notes say -

sort of surprised that the Emberiza get carved up into different subfamilies, while the Arremonidae are still just given tribes. Admittedly, I am more familiar with the latter being a US-based birder, but I have always got a sense that the different "tribes" are more coherent and distinguishable from each other than the different members of Emberiza.

Isn't the reason that the relationships between the seven tribes are uncertain so they held off on the subfamilies. I suppose they considered seven subfamilies too many.

Mysticete said:

sort of surprised that the Emberiza get carved up into different subfamilies, while the Arremonidae are still just given tribes.

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It's a mistake from Boyd. it cannot automatically have tribal subdivision if there is no subfamilial subdivision.

Bao, W., Kathait, A., Li, X., Ozaki, K., Hanada, Y., Thomas, A., Carey, G.J., Gou, J., Davaasuren, B., Hasebe, M., Holt, P.I., Pelikan, L., Fan, Z., Wang, S., and Xing, X. (2022) Subspecies taxonomy and inter-population divergences of the critically endangered Yellow-Breasted Bunting: evidence from song variations. Animals 12: 2292. Published: 4 September 2022
Subspecies Taxonomy and Inter-Population Divergences of the Critically Endangered Yellow-Breasted Bunting: Evidence from Song Variations

Simple Summary
Identifying the taxonomic status of subspecies or population with independent evolutionary tendencies is important for the targeted conservation of endangered species. Two subspecies of the critically endangered, Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola have long been classified: E. a. aureola and E. a. ornata. However, populations distributed in Hokkaido, Japan, are sometimes considered another subspecies of E. a. insularis. By comparing vocal divergences, we found that the song of the Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola has subspecies-specific properties and that insularis can be classified acoustically as a subspecies. Morphological and genetic differences should be tested further to confirm its subspecies status. Our results not only confirm the subspecies but also provide key evidence for targeted taxon conservation efforts for this critically endangered bird species, given that several Japanese populations have disappeared.

Abstract
The critically endangered Yellow-breasted Bunting has undergone population collapse globally because of illegal hunting and habitat deterioration. It was listed as critically endangered (CR) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2017 and designated a Class I (highest level) national conservation bird species in China in 2021. Birdsong in the breeding season is the main communicative signal under sexual selection, and song variations have long been considered critical evidence of divergence among subspecies or populations. We compared the songs of 89 males from 18 populations to test subspecies taxonomy. We found that songs of the Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola are subspecies specific and that three subspecies can be clearly discriminated by song divergences. Moreover, an analysis of multiple vocal traits supports the claim that insularis is distinct from aureola and ornata. Finally, at the geographic population level, populations can be clearly classified in accordance with the three subspecies, although the aureola population in Xinjiang, China is differentiated from other populations of the same subspecies. The results of this study demonstrate that all populations and subspecies are unique and should be protected to maintain intraspecies song diversity. In addition, several specific populations, such as insularis populations in Japan and the Xinjiang, China population of aureola, need to be paid special attention to prevent the extinction of unique or local taxa.

Jim LeNomenclatoriste said:

A new bunting species in South China revealed by an integrative taxonomic investigation of the Emberiza godlewskii complex (Aves, Emberidae)

Species boundaries of birds across the Euro-Asian continent, especially the widely distributed passerines with multiple subspecies, are not completely…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Li, J., Song, G., Chen, G., Liu, N., Dong, L., & Bao, X. (2022). A new bunting species in South China revealed by an integrative taxonomic investigation of the Emberiza godlewskii complex (Aves, Emberidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 107697.

Species boundaries of birds across the Euro-Asian continent, especially the widely distributed passerines with multiple subspecies, are not completely resolved. The Rock Bunting complex, Emberiza cia and E. godlewskii, is subject to ongoing debate due to geographic variation in its morphology, and deep genetic splits. In this study, the phylogenetic relationships of the E. cia/godlewskii complex were evaluated based on multilocus coalescence methods combined with analyses of plumage color and morphological variation. Although the northern and southern populations of E. godlewski formed reciprocally monophyletic groups, the northern E. godlewskii clade is the sister group to E. cia, rendering E. godlewskii as currently defined paraphyletic. The significant differences in morphometry and plumage color reflectance are complementary and support the phenotypic validity of northern and southern E. godlewskii. Thus, we recommend the following taxonomic revisions: the northern and southern E. godlewskii subspecies should be recognized as different full species, such as E. godlewskii and E. yunnanensis, respectively. This resolves the issue that E. godlewskii, as currently defined, is paraphyletic. Our research provides direct evidence of cryptic species in old world buntings and highlights the underestimation of species diversity in birds in East Asia.

Is there a range map of the northern and southern subspecies groups of E godlewski?

Ian Lewis said:

Is there a range map of the northern and southern subspecies groups of E godlewski?

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It's interesting they put styani in the southern group, whereas this was synonymised with omissa (which is in the northern group) in Byers, Olsson, Curson Buntings & Sparrows.
I am not particularly struck by any visual differences when comparing photos...

Xenospiza said:

It's interesting they put styani in the southern group, whereas this was synonymised with omissa (which is in the northern group) in Byers, Olsson, Curson Buntings & Sparrows.
I am not particularly struck by any visual differences when comparing photos...

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Clive Byers told me that examining drawer after drawer of museum bunting specimens left him somewhat numb as an artist...!😮😲🤫
MJB

MJB said:

Clive Byers told me that examining drawer after drawer of museum bunting specimens left him somewhat numb as an artist...!😮😲🤫
MJB

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Drawer or drawing?

Jim LeNomenclatoriste said:

Drawer or drawing?

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Drawer. Mostly endless specimens of intermediates, particularly between Pine Bunting and Yellowhammer....
MJB

MJB said:

Drawer.

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Drawer has the same meaning as drawing?

Jim LeNomenclatoriste said:

Drawer has the same meaning as drawing?

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Drawer is a shelf you place things on, like in a cabinet.

Mysticete said:

Drawer is a shelf you place things on, like in a cabinet.

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Aaaah. When Google translated MJB's comment, I didn't really understand the meaning 😅

Jim LeNomenclatoriste said:

Aaaah. When Google translated MJB's comment, I didn't really understand the meaning 😅

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This story starts with an image of specimen drawers:
Niels