Splitting, renaming and all that stuff - where do we go? (1 Viewer)

[steve west]

The Dutch have split the Iberian Green Woodpecker, and I'm not sure if the local race of Pied Flycatcher too. Is anyone else set to follow suit? Are there are more Iberian splits in the making? It would be interesting to know who is the authority on this so we could prepare ourselves accordingly (I've already had Dutch birders asking me about Iberian Green Woodpeckers).

I also recall that the latin names of the tits have all been changed, although I haven't really bothered to incorporate them into my vocabulary. Can anybody remind me of their new names?

More: is it Egretta alba or Casmerodius albus? Actitis macularia or A.macularius (and why?). Apus melba or....what was it now?

COuldn't different "authorities" get together and agree to make taxonomical changes at the same time?

Steve
www.BirdingInSpain.com

 

[James Lowther]

COuldn't different "authorities" get together and agree to make taxonomical changes at the same time?

Steve
www.BirdingInSpain.com

they wouldn't really be different then would they?.....

The people who examine and publish on this subject are always going to disagree, cos it's a difficult subject.

If you want a good overview of (nearly) all the putative splits affecting europe, and a good idea of how widely accepted they are,
then the AERC TAC taxonomic recommendations are a pretty good place to look, although they could no doubt do with a bit of updating.

http://www.aerc.eu/aerc_tac.htm

cheers,

james

 

[Richard Klim]

Steve,

My Holarctic checklist (below) includes just about all splits (and many potential splits) in the Palearctic & Nearctic regions, and identifies exactly which authorities recognise each split.

(It also has all the current names for tit species.)

So far, only DBA has split Picus sharpei.

Ficedula speculigera 'Atlas Flycatcher' (of Morocco) has been split by AERC, BOU, DBA, Clements, & Gill & Wright (IOC); but I don't believe any authority has split the Iberian form of Pied Fly (iberiae).

Great (White) Egret is now placed in genus Casmerodius by AERC, DBA, OBC, & BirdLife International; but in Ardea by AOU/ABA, BOU, OSME, Clements, Dickinson (Howard & Moore), & Gill & Wright (IOC); and in Egretta by ABC!

Actitis macularius (masculine).

Alpine Swift is placed in genus Apus by AERC, AOU, BOU, & DBA; but in Tachymarptis by BirdLife International, Clements, Dickinson (Howard & Moore), Gill & Wright (IOC), ABC, OBC, & OSME.

As James has said, although the AERC's efforts were useful, it has unfortunately provided no updates since 2003.

Richard

 

[luvdabirds]

...I also recall that the latin names of the tits have all been changed, although I haven't really bothered to incorporate them into my vocabulary. Can anybody remind me of their new names?

I believe this answers your question about new latin names...

Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit Parus major
Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus
Coal Tit Periparus ater
Willow Tit Poecile montanus
Marsh Tit Poecile palustris

New World "Tits" have also been changed...
Chickadees from Parus to Poecile and Titmice from Parus to Baeolophus...

The Genus of New World Quail (family Phasianidea) has been changed to a new family (Odontoporidae).

New World kinglets are no longer grouped with Old World warblers...

Some Buteos have been changed to Asturina...

Some Hirduno swallows have been changed to Petrochelidon...

One can barely keep up...

With all the new DNA analysis that is now available, no doubt many more changes will be made in the future...

In taxonomy, there has always been the classic battle between "lumpers" & "splitters".

 

[birdboybowley]

Still prefer Sharpe's Woodpecker to Iberian Green.....

 

[steve west]

Thanks Richard (useful reference page you have there) and luvabirds - that has pretty much answered my questions. For now!

Steve
http://www.BirdingInSpain.com

 

[Xenospiza]

One can barely keep up...

Indeed!
Here are a few updates... I hope you don't mind.

New World kinglets are no longer grouped with Old World warblers...

The Old world has more "kinglets" than North America! 3, 4, 5 or maybe even more species depending on how many Regulidae you think the Canaries and Madeira have. And the “Old World Warblers” are a past station too – should be treated as something like 12 families now!

Some Buteos have been changed to Asturina...

These (should) have been changed back to Buteo, but a few South American species (Roadside & White-rumped Hawk) (should) have been given new genus names.

Some Hirundo swallows have been changed to Petrochelidon...

It's a lot worse! e.g. "Red-rumped Swallows" have their own genus (Cecropis) too (I firmly disagree here).

With all the new DNA analysis that is now available, no doubt many more changes will be made in the future...

Oh yes...

 

[chowchilla]

The splitting of species in Aus is making my head spin too! I can barely keep up...