Locustellidae (1 Viewer)

[Peter Kovalik]

Bradypterus graueri

Kahindo, C., Bates, J. M. and Bowie, R. C. K. (2016), Population genetic structure of Grauer's Swamp Warbler Bradypterus graueri, an Albertine Rift endemic. Ibis. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/ibi.12453

abstract

The endangered warbler Bradypterus graueri is endemic to the Albertine Rift, where it is restricted to montane swamps above 1900 m across the region. We studied genetic structure among six populations sampled across the species’ distribution in northern Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. A total of 2117 base pairs of mitochondrial data were sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses and network reconstruction of B. graueri haplotypes recovered three clades with a defined geographical pattern: clade 1, Virunga Volcanoes and Kigezi Highlands; clade 2, Rugege Highlands; and clade 3, Kahuzi-Biega Highlands; clades 2 and 3 are sisters to each other. Both landscape dynamics and historical climate are likely to have played a role in the diversification of this species. The divergence between clade 1 and clades 2 and 3 (168.5 Ka, 95% HPD 108.5, 244.4) coincides with a prolonged period of aridity in tropical Africa between 130-270 Ka. Similarly, the divergence between clades 2 and 3 (99.4 Ka, 95% HPD 55.4, 153.8) corresponds with a period of aridity just prior to 94 Ka. Populations sampled from the eastern arm of the central Albertine Rift (Kigezi and Rugege Highlands) show a coincident increase in effective population size after the Last Glacial Maximum at c. 15 Ka, whereas those sampled from Kahuzi-Biega on the western arm of the rift do not. Despite the perceived higher vagility of bird species relative to other vertebrates, the degree of phylogeographic structure among populations of B. graueri is similar to that reported for small mammals (Hylomyscus vulcanorum, Lophuromys woosnami, Sylvisorex vulcanorum) and a frog Hyperolius castaneus sampled across the central Albertine Rift. Collectively our results suggest that climate dynamics associated with late-Pleistocene cycles had a significant influence on driving the population genetic structure and associated levels of genetic diversity in B. graueri and other small terrestrial vertebrates. Our results have implications for the conservation of B. graueri and other endemics to the Albertine Rift, particularly in the context of other phylogegeographic studies centered on this biodiversity hotspot.

 

[Peter Kovalik]

Per Alström, Alice Cibois, Martin Irestedt, Dario Zuccon, Magnus Gelang, Jon Fjeldså, Michael J. Andersen, Robert G. Moyle, Eric Pasquet, Urban Olsson. Comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the grassbirds and allies (Locustellidae) reveals extensive non-monophyly of traditional genera, and a proposal for a new classification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 3 April 2018.

Abstract:

The widespread Old World avian family Locustellidae (‘grassbirds and allies’) comprises 62 extant species in 11 genera. In the present study, we used one mitochondrial and, for most species, four nuclear loci to infer the phylogeny of this family. We analysed 59 species, including the five previously unsampled genera plus two genera that had not before been analysed in a densely sampled dataset. This study revealed extensive disagreement with current taxonomy; the genera Bradypterus, Locustella, Megalurus, Megalurulus and Schoenicola were all found to be non-monophyletic. Non-monophyly was particularly pronounced for Megalurus, which was widely scattered across the tree. Three of the five monotypic genera (Amphilais, Buettikoferella and Malia) were nested within other genera; one monotypic genus (Chaetornis) formed a clade with one of the two species of Schoenicola; whereas the position of the fifth monotypic genus (Elaphrornis) was unresolved. Robsonius was confirmed as sister to the other genera. We propose a phylogenetically informed revision of genus-level taxonomy, including one new generic name. Finally, we highlight several non-monophyletic species complexes and deep intra-species divergences that point to conflict in taxonomy and suggest an underestimation of current species diversity in this group.

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

Helopsaltes gen. nov.

Helopsaltes, new genus
Type species: Motacilla Certhiola Pallas, 1811. Gender masculine.
Included taxa: All of the species in clade K in Figs 1 and 2, which should now be named
Helopsaltes certhiola, Helopsaltes ochotensis, Helopsaltes pleskei, Helopsaltes pryeri,
Helopsaltes fasciolatus and Helopsaltes amnicola. All species epithets except fasciolatus are
invariable, and therefore must not change ending due to change of gender of the scientific
name.
Diagnosis: The songs consist of short (c. 2–5 s) strophes separated by distinct pauses (c. 2–15
s; highly variable depending on level of excitement). All or most of the elements in the
strophes are different from each other, or arranged in different “blocks” of similar notes. The
songs of the species of Locustella sensu stricto are less clearly separated into strophes, and
consist of very fast rattling reels or monotonous repetitions of rather simple syllables. See 3.3
and Fig. 3. No diagnostic morphological characters are known to us, but there are average
differences between Helopsaltes and Locustella sensu stricto in overall size (see 3.3).
Etymology: The name means “the marsh musician”, from Greek helos (ἕλος), marshy ground,
and Greek psaltes (ψάλτης), a musician playing a string instrument.

I mostly followed their recommendations, except that I kept Chaetornis as a separate genus of Schoenicola.
Robsonius is a highly distinct genus and maybe merit to be placed in separate family "Robsoniidae"

 

[gusasp]

Anyone has access to the tree?

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

Anyone has access to the tree?

http://sci-hub.la/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.03.029

 

[gusasp]

http://sci-hub.la/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.03.029

Thanks! The African Bamboo Warbler close to River and Savi's, that's a shocker!

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

I was surprised by the non-relationship between the two species of Schoenicola. Pending further study, I have placed the Fly river Grassbird in the genus Papuodytes and the Spinifexbird in the genus Eremiornis

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

TiF Update April 11

Locustellidae: The Grassbirds (Locustellidae) have been rearranged based on Alstrom et al. (2018a). Two species have changed genera: The Fan-tailed Grassbird moves from Schoenicola to Catriscus and the Bamboo Warbler moves from Bradypterus to Locustella. The genera Buettikoferella and Megalurulus have been merged into Cincloramphus. Bowdleria and Eremiornis have been merged into Poodytes. Amphilais has been merged into Bradypterus. Chaetornis has been merged into Schoenicola. Finally, part of Locustella has been separated as the new genus Helopsaltes Alström et al. 2018 (type species certhiola).
[Locustellidae, Paroidea & Sylvioidea I, 3.11]

[...]
I kept Chaetornis as a separate genus from Schoenicola.

I have placed the Fly river Grassbird in the genus Papuodytes and [kept] the Spinifexbird in the genus Eremiornis

 

[Peter Kovalik]

Dowsett-Lemaire, Françoise. 2022. A review of the vocalisations of Little and Highland Rush Warblers Bradypterus baboecala and B. centralis, and a comparison with sympatric White-winged Warbler B. carpalis. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 29: 31-48.
A review of the vocalisations of Little and Highland Rush Warblers Bradypterus baboecala and B. centralis, and a comparison with sympatric White-winged Warbler B. carpalis

Summary
A review of audio recordings and literature descriptions of the voice of rush warblers confirms that there are two vocally very distinct species, Highland Rush Warbler Bradypterus centralis and Little Rush Warbler B. baboecala. Songs of both species consist of an accelerated repetition of a complex note, but they differ markedly in pitch and in note structure. Highland Rush Warbler, with its unique, insect-like, highpitched stridulous song is restricted to the upland marshes of the Lake Victoria basin, with an extension north to at least northernmost Uganda (there is no information from neighbouring South Sudan). It comprises three subspecies: nominate centralis, elgonensis, and cf. sudanensis.
In contrast, Little Rush Warblers produce a series of deep, throaty notes: these include all five races south of the equator (tongensis, msiri, benguellensis, transvaalensis and nominate baboecala), as well as abyssinicus from Ethiopia, chadensis from northern Nigeria, and other populations in West Africa (race undetermined). There is a slight difference in pitch between baboecala populations north and south of the equator, and a great deal of variation within and between populations in duration of song (and number of notes) and speed of delivery. Preliminary genetic studies appear to show that chadensis is closest to elgonensis, but this is contradicted by vocal evidence. More recently, it has been suggested that West African birds might belong to B. baboecala msiri (one of the closest races geographically), but the difference in vocal dialects suggests otherwise.
This paper also analyses the vocalisations of White-winged Warbler B. carpalis, which is sympatric with either Highland Rush Warbler or Little Rush Warbler. Songs from the isolated population in northern Zambia lack the more complex syntax of songs from the Lake Victoria basin. Zambian birds produce a song that, in isolation, is indistinguishable from some dialects of Little Rush Warbler in pitch, temporal characteristics and note structure. However, in Zambia, the sympatric race msiri of Little Rush Warbler has a particularly ‘sluggish’ song and also differs in its slightly lower pitch. Zambian White-winged Warblers differ from their conspecifics in the Great Lakes region more by their vocal dialects than their morphology, and perhaps merit subspecific status.

 

[albertonykus]

Sleptsov, Y., P. Ktitorov, P.D. Round, and W. Heim (2023)
Autumn migration tracks of Helopsaltes grasshopper-warblers from Northeast Asia support recent taxonomic assignments
Ecology and Evolution 13: e9932
doi: 10.1002/ece3.9932

Migration strategies are genetically inherited in most songbirds, and closely related species can exhibit markedly contrasting migration programs. Here, we investigate the autumn migration of one Helopsaltes grasshopper-warbler from a population near Magadan, North East Russia, based on light-level geolocation. Although often considered to belong to Middendorff's Grasshopper-warbler H. ochotensis, recent genetic studies suggest that birds from this population are more closely related to Pallas's Grasshopper-warbler H. certhiola. We compare the migratory behavior of the Magadan bird with two Pallas's Grasshopper-warblers tracked from populations in the Kolyma River valley and the Amur region, Russia. We found similar migration patterns in all three tracked individuals, with stopover sites in eastern China and wintering sites in mainland Southeast Asia, within the known range for Pallas's Grasshopper-warbler. Furthermore, based on morphological data compiled during bird ringing, we were able to confirm the presence of potential “Magadan grasshopper-warblers” during spring and autumn migration in Thailand. Our scant data provide further evidence that Magadan Helopsaltes, notwithstanding their morphological resemblance to Middendorff's Grasshopper-warbler, constitute a population of Pallas's Grasshopper-warbler.