Peter Kovalik
Well-known member
Jan Ove Gjershaug, Heather R. L. Lerner, Sonia Kabra and Rachel Wadleigh. Phylogeny and Taxonomy of the Booted Eagles (Accipitriformes: Aquilinae). I Worldwide Raptor Conference, October 2013, Bariloche, Argentina.
Abstract:
We present a supermatrix phylogeny of all booted eagles based on an analysis of published sequences from six loci, including all 38 extant species of booted eagles and one extinct species (Haast’s Eagle, Harpagornis moorei). We find molecular support for five major clades within the booted eagles: Nisaetus (10 species), Spizaetus (4 species), Clanga (3 species), Hieraaetus (6 species) and Aquila (11 species), requiring generic changes for 14 taxa. Additionally, we recommend that the Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis) and the Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis) should be kept in their own genera, as they are morphologically very distinct. The clade including the Booted Eagle (H. pennatus), Little Eagle (H. morphnoides), Pygmy Eagle (H. weiskei), Ayres’s Eagle (H. ayresii) and Wahlberg’s Eagle (H. wahlbergi) can be kept in the genus Hieraaetus as it does not result in paraphyly in the genus Aquila any longer if the spotted eagles are placed in the new proposed genus Clanga. The Rufous-bellied Eagle should be placed in the genus Lophotriorchis. To make consistency in the English names, we recommend that “hawk-eagle” should be used only for species in the genera Nisaetus and Spizaetus. We suggest the following new names: Cassin’s Eagle (Aquila africana), Bonaparte’s Eagle (A. spilogaster), Ayres’s Eagle (Hieraaetus ayresii), and Black-and-chestnut Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus isidori).
Abstract:
We present a supermatrix phylogeny of all booted eagles based on an analysis of published sequences from six loci, including all 38 extant species of booted eagles and one extinct species (Haast’s Eagle, Harpagornis moorei). We find molecular support for five major clades within the booted eagles: Nisaetus (10 species), Spizaetus (4 species), Clanga (3 species), Hieraaetus (6 species) and Aquila (11 species), requiring generic changes for 14 taxa. Additionally, we recommend that the Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis) and the Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis) should be kept in their own genera, as they are morphologically very distinct. The clade including the Booted Eagle (H. pennatus), Little Eagle (H. morphnoides), Pygmy Eagle (H. weiskei), Ayres’s Eagle (H. ayresii) and Wahlberg’s Eagle (H. wahlbergi) can be kept in the genus Hieraaetus as it does not result in paraphyly in the genus Aquila any longer if the spotted eagles are placed in the new proposed genus Clanga. The Rufous-bellied Eagle should be placed in the genus Lophotriorchis. To make consistency in the English names, we recommend that “hawk-eagle” should be used only for species in the genera Nisaetus and Spizaetus. We suggest the following new names: Cassin’s Eagle (Aquila africana), Bonaparte’s Eagle (A. spilogaster), Ayres’s Eagle (Hieraaetus ayresii), and Black-and-chestnut Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus isidori).