Robins are flycatchers? (2 Viewers)

I think I will replace Emarginata Shelley, 1896 by Poliocichla Sharpe, 1903 because it is preoccupied by Emarginata Carpenter, 1859 (Fissurellidae)

LeNomenclatoriste said:

I think I will replace Emarginata Shelley, 1896 by Poliocichla Sharpe, 1903 because it is preoccupied by Emarginata Carpenter, 1859 (Fissurellidae)

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In my notes I have:
"Wannabe senior homonym: “Emarginata Carpenter 1859” (https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35469382 ), an apparent ISS of Emarginula Lamarck 1801 (Mollusca), in a plain list of British mollusca “purchased of Mr. Philip P. Carpenter” (the list itself being arguably anonymous); combined with two species-group names; no authorities are cited for any of the names in the list."
I'd be inclined to treat "Carpenter's" name (or, rather, spelling variant) as unavailable -- thus not susceptible to preoccupy anything.

Well.... *sob*

Anyway, Emarginata Ballantyne & al. 2019 (published today in Zootaxa, family Lampyridae) , is, it, clearly a homonym.

Ficedula, Muscicapella

IOC Updates Diary Mar 29

Revise species sequence in Ficedula and move Pygmy Flycatcher from Muscicapella to Ficedula. Alter scientific names of Pygmy Flycatcher and Slaty-backed Flycatcher as a result.

Is anyone here who knows why HBW Alive is using the genus name Kittacincla and IOC the genus name Copsychus? Are both genera synonymized?

Melanie said:

Is anyone here who knows why HBW Alive is using the genus name Kittacincla and IOC the genus name Copsychus? Are both genera synonymized?

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Yes on the first question, no on the second ;-) HBW Alive just has a narrower Copsychus.

Sangster et al. (2010), Voelker et al. (2014), Zuccon and Ericson (2010) and Lim et al. (2010) all find that Saxicoloides and Trichixos are part of Copsychus. IOC and HBW Alive implement that differently, where IOC expands Copsychus to include Saxicoloides and Trichixos, while HBW retain them and instead split Copsychus in two, with the shamas in Kittacincla.

Thanks for the explanation. BTW Eaton et al. 2016 list the Maratua Shama (Copsychus barbouri) as distinct species. This is so far interesting as this taxon belongs to the rarest birds in the world:

https://www.silentforest.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/News_Update_Prigenark_27.03.2020.pdf

V.M. Loskot & G.B. Bakhtadze (2020) Distribution, systematics and nomenclature of the three taxa of Common Stonechats (Aves, Passeriformes, Muscicapidae, Saxicola) that breed in the Caucasian region. Zoosystematica rossica 29(1), 33–57.

Full text :
https://www.zin.ru/journals/zsr/publication.asp?id=1358

Abstract. Geographic distribution and habitat preferences of Saxicola rubicola rubicola (Linnaeus, 1766), S. maurus variegatus (S.G. Gmelin, 1774), and S. m. armenicus (Stegman, 1935) inhabiting the Caucasian Isthmus and adjacent areas are described in detail. We examined the individual, sexual, age, seasonal and geographical variations of seven main diagnostic features of both plumage and morphometrics (exactly, the length of wing and tail) using 381 skin specimens. Substantially improved diagnoses of S. m. variegatus and S. m. armenicus are provided. After a thorough examination of the materials and history of the expedition of Samuel Gmelin in 1768–1774, and his description of Parus variegatus, it was concluded that the type locality of this taxon was the vicinity of Shamakhi in Azerbaijan not Enzeli in North-Western Turkey. It is also shown the fallacy of the recently proposed attribution of the holotype of the northern subspecies S. m. variegatus to the southern taxon S. m. armenicus and synonymisation of these names, as well as the replacement of the name S. m. variegatus by its junior synonym S. m. hemrichii Ehrenberg, 1833 for the northern subspecies.

Ng EYX, Yue AY, Eaton JA, Gwee CY, van Balen B, Rheindt FE. 2020. Integrative taxonomy reveals cryptic robin lineage in the Greater Sunda Islands. Treubia, 47: 39-52.

ABSTRACT
Southeast Asian avifauna is under threat from both habitat loss and illegal poaching, yet the region‟s rich biodiversity remains understudied. Here, we uncover cryptic species-level diversity in the Sunda Blue Robin (Myiomela diana), a songbird complex endemic to Javan (subspecies diana) and Sumatran (subspecies sumatrana) mountains. Taxonomic inquiry into these populations has previously been hampered by a lack of DNA material and the birds' general scarcity, especially sumatrana which is only known from few localities. We demonstrate fundamental bioacoustic differences in courtship song paired with important distinctions in plumage saturation and tail length that combine to suggest species-level treatment for the two taxa. Treated separately, both taxa are independently threatened by illegal poaching and habitat loss, and demand conservation action. Our study highlights a case of underestimated avifaunal diversity that is in urgent need of revision in the face of imminent threats to species survival.
Keywords: bioacoustics, bird trade, passerines, songbird crisis, taxonomic neglect

https://e-journal.biologi.lipi.go.id/index.php/treubia/article/view/3872

Just noticed that IOC haven’t implemented Voelker et al 2016 in rearranging Muscicapa and allies, unlike Clements and BirdLife International for instance. Does anyone have any idea why? Are there doubts about the study or is it just a lapse? A bit surprising since they’re usually quick in taking on new research, and this is six years old by now.

gusasp said:

Just noticed that IOC haven’t implemented Voelker et al 2016 in rearranging Muscicapa and allies, unlike Clements and BirdLife International for instance. Does anyone have any idea why? Are there doubts about the study or is it just a lapse? A bit surprising since they’re usually quick in taking on new research, and this is six years old by now.

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Slipped through the cracks? Perhaps now that it has been posted here, someone at IOC will see this post and look into it.

Mysticete said:

Slipped through the cracks? Perhaps now that it has been posted here, someone at IOC will see this post and look into it.

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We actually were aware of this paper soon after it was published, but it quickly got back-burnered because of some initial nomenclatural chaos, and then it did fall through the cracks.

Although neither Clements nor BirdLife (or, for that matter, Fjeldsa et al.) has wholeheartedly adopted the generic restructuring proposed in Voelker et al., we plan to at least align ourselves with their taxonomy as it applies to this group in IOC 12.2.

Thanks for bringing it up.

Just got to say, I really appreciate when you folks at the IOC chip in with comments (and other checklist committees as well)!

Mysticete said:

Just got to say, I really appreciate when you folks at the IOC chip in with comments (and other checklist committees as well)!

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I second that!

Meng Yue Wu & Frank E. Rheindt (2022).
A distinct new subspecies of the white-rumped shama Copsychus malabaricus at imminent risk of extinction.

Abstract
We here describe a new subspecies of the white-rumped shama Copsychus malabaricus from the western islands of the Thai Malay Peninsula. The new subspecies is mitogenomically distinct from other members of the complex. Morphologically, its tail is longer and the black breast in males is much less extensive than in males of all other taxa. The discovery of a new shama in a relatively well-explored part of Southeast Asia brings to light a gap in our taxonomic understanding of tropical Asian birds, which continue to be understudied. The new Langkawi shama is the subject of extensive specialized poaching efforts, and its survival may be at risk, calling for immediate conservation action.

Jim LeNomenclatoriste said:

Meng Yue Wu & Frank E. Rheindt (2022).
A distinct new subspecies of the white-rumped shama Copsychus malabaricus at imminent risk of extinction.

Abstract
We here describe a new subspecies of the white-rumped shama Copsychus malabaricus from the western islands of the Thai Malay Peninsula. The new subspecies is mitogenomically distinct from other members of the complex. Morphologically, its tail is longer and the black breast in males is much less extensive than in males of all other taxa. The discovery of a new shama in a relatively well-explored part of Southeast Asia brings to light a gap in our taxonomic understanding of tropical Asian birds, which continue to be understudied. The new Langkawi shama is the subject of extensive specialized poaching efforts, and its survival may be at risk, calling for immediate conservation action.

A distinct new subspecies of the white-rumped shama Copsychus malabaricus at imminent risk of extinction - Journal of Ornithology

We here describe a new subspecies of the white-rumped shama Copsychus malabaricus from the western islands of the Thai Malay Peninsula. The new subspecies is mitogenomically distinct from other members of the complex. Morphologically, its tail is longer and the black breast in males is much less...

link.springer.com

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Copsychus malabaricus ngae subsp. nov. (Or Kittacincla malabarica ngae)

Meng Yue Wu, Clara Jesse Lau, Elize Ying Xin Ng, Pratibha Baveja, Chyi Yin Gwee, Keren Sadanandan, Teuku Reza Ferasyi, Haminuddin, Rezky Ramadhan, Jochen K Menner, and Frank E Rheindt (2022) Genomes from historic DNA unveil massive hidden extinction and terminal endangerment in a tropical Asian songbird radiation. Molecular Biology and Evolution, Published 06 September 2022
pendingpublications

Abstract
Quantifying the magnitude of the global extinction crisis is important but remains challenging, as many extinction events pass unnoticed owing to our limited taxonomic knowledge of the world’s organisms. The increasing rarity of many taxa renders comprehensive sampling challenging, further compounding the problem. Vertebrate lineages such as birds, which are thought to be taxonomically well-understood, are therefore used as indicator groups for mapping and quantifying global extinction. To test whether extinction patterns are adequately gauged in well-studied groups, we implemented ancient-DNA protocols and retrieved whole genomes from the historic DNA of museum specimens in a widely known songbird radiation of shamas (genus Copsychus) that is assumed to be of least conservation concern. We uncovered cryptic diversity and an unexpected degree of hidden extinction and terminal endangerment. Our analyses reveal that >40% of the phylogenetic diversity of this radiation is already either extinct in the wild or nearly so, including the two genomically most distinct members of this group (omissus and nigricauda), which have so far flown under the conservation radar as they have previously been considered subspecies. Comparing the genomes of modern samples with those from roughly a century ago, we also found a significant decrease in genetic diversity and a concomitant increase in homozygosity affecting various taxa, including small-island endemics that are extinct in the wild as well as subspecies that remain widespread across the continental scale. Our application of modern genomic approaches demonstrates elevated levels of allelic and taxonomic diversity loss in a songbird clade that has not been listed as globally threatened, highlighting the importance of ongoing reassessments of extinction incidence even across well-studied animal groups.

Turdidae and Muscicapidae form two distinct families but what differentiates them honestly? These two families share a lot of things in common. What justifies separating them?