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Zonotrichia Capensis (1 Viewer)

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GaviaArctica

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I've been wondering the taxonomic position of Rufous-collared sparrow (Zonothricia capensis) for a long time now. Somehow everything seems to be wrong. The closest relatives in the genus Zonothricia are all arctic or subarctic birds and Rufous-collared sparrow is neotropical. Could it be that Rufous-collared sparrow is an old world bunting related to african buntings in the genus Emberiza? It seems to me that it's just a darker version of Cape bunting (Emberiza capensis). Even their songs are like sister species' songs.

Rufous-collared sparrow
http://www.xeno-canto.org/390483

Cape bunting
http://www.xeno-canto.org/382897

I tried to google, but didn't find anything useful. I've lurked for a long time and I know there are experts here. Can you clear this matter for me? Or is it just too far-fetched?
 
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A very quick google search produced the following:
https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v108n03/p0578-p0584.pdf
https://bmcevolbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2148-13-58
http://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/rufous-collared-sparrow

Zonotrichia capensis is a typical Zonotrichia, with a very wide distribution (and many somewhat different looking subspecies) and some of the Nearctic species (Z. leucophrys) share a common ancestor with it.

The similarities you find between this and the African taxon are probably just coincidental.

Cheers
 
Also:
Klicka, Barker, Burns, Lanyon, Lovette, Chaves, Bryson. 2014. A comprehensive multilocus assessment of sparrow (Aves: Passerellidae) relationships. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 77:177-182. [pdf]
 
l_raty said:
Also:
Klicka, Barker, Burns, Lanyon, Lovette, Chaves, Bryson. 2014. A comprehensive multilocus assessment of sparrow (Aves: Passerellidae) relationships. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 77:177-182. [pdf]
Click to expand...

This is actually the key paper, thanks Laurent. Their results show how Z. capensis is basal to all Zonotrichia studied, which is compatible with a South American ancestor to all Zonotrichia (at least all studied).

Just as a complement, it should be said that the North American buntings/sparrows are now classified within family Arremonidae (tribe Passerillini, together with Junco and Passerella), whilst Emberizidae includes only the Old World species; Cape Bunting, as all other sub-Saharan buntings, seems to be now classified in a different genus, Fringillaria (F. capensis). I hope this is not all too confusing!
A few links:
http://jboyd.net/Taxo/List30.html#arremonidae
http://jboyd.net/Taxo/List30.html#emberizidae
 
RafaelMatias said:
This is actually the key paper, thanks Laurent. Their results show how Z. capensis is basal to all Zonotrichia studied, which is compatible with a South American ancestor to all Zonotrichia (at least all studied).
Click to expand...

Z. capensis is not basal to the other species in the genus, it is their sister lineage, and so a South American origin is no more likely than a North American one is. However, as Zonotrichia capensis is the only Neotropical species in a broader clade that also includes Junco, Passerella and Spizella arborea, I would say that a North American origin of Zonotrichia is more likely.
 
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Petter87 said:
Z. capensis is not basal to the other species in the genus, it is their sister lineage, and so a South American origin is no more likely than a North American one is. However, as Zonotrichia capensis is the only Neotropical species in a broader clade that also includes Junco, Passerella and Spizella, I would say that a North American origin of Zonotrichia is more likely.
Click to expand...
Cheers, many thanks for the correction.
 
Watch for a discussion of this matter, and the bizarre naming history of the species, in the forthcoming Peterson guide to American sparrows.
 
Rick Wright said:
Watch for a discussion of this matter, and the bizarre naming history of the species, in the forthcoming Peterson guide to American sparrows.
Click to expand...
Do you find Cassin's interpretation satisfying, Rick?
(I'd like to be convinced but...)

(Statius Müller's OD: [here] (der caapsche Fink, Fringilla capensis); Cassin's 1864 interpretation, which is currently followed: [here]; Cassin interpreted the name as applying to Pl. Enl. #386, fig. 1 [here], labelled "Bruant, du Cap de Bonne Espérance" (perhaps in part because the next bird described by Statius Müller is the other bird on this plate): this is admittedly a Rufous-collared Sparrow incorrectly said to be from the Cape of Good Hope; but in fact Statius Müller did not specify which one of Buffon's birds he was dealing with, and his description (a reddish-brown bird with a black head, a white stripe about the eye and a white belly) fits Pl. Enl. #230, fig. 1 [here] better; this is labelled "Moineau, du Cap de Bonne Espérance", and is a Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus... He describes the underside of the tail as blue, however, which he may indeed have taken from the other plate.)
 
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No umlaut, Justin!?

In my MS I have him repeatedly as: (Philipp Ludwig) Statius Müller (1725–1776).

Please, don't tell me it´s wrong.
:scribe:
 
Dickinson & Lebosse 2018 footnote 272 Although often historically treated as P.L. Statius Müller; but Dickinson & Remsen (2013) and Dickinson & Christidis (2014) accepted the evidence of Kooiman (1950) who concluded that this author was Dutch not German and did not use an umlaut in his name.
Kooiman, W. J., 1950. Philippus Ludovicus Statius Muller. – Earebondel ta de tachtichste jierdei fan Dr. G.A. Wumkes op 4 septimber 1949. – Oanbean Troch de Fryske Akademy. Boalsert, Utjowerij Fa. A.J. Osinga: 74‐130.
Zoonomen mentions this work but also says:"The family originates paternally from Dutch nobility and originally was called Statius, but took on the name Müller in Germany." and "As to whether the last two components of the surname should be hyphenated, I have no idea."
 
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