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Introduction
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May 2016 - May 2019
March 2014 - April 2016
October 2008 - February 2014
Publications
Publications (150)
The avifauna of Indonesia is one of the richest in the World but the taxonomic status of many species remains poorly documented. The sole species of scops owl known from Lombok has long been assigned to the widespread Moluccan Scops Owl Otus magicus on the basis of superficial similarities in morphology. Field work in 2003 has shown that the territ...
The debate over species concepts has produced a huge body of literature on how species can, may or should be delimited. By contrast, very few studies have documented how species taxa are delimited in practice. The aims of the present study were to (i) quantify the use of species criteria in taxonomy, (ii) discuss its implications for the debate ove...
Authentic DNA sequences are crucial for reliable evolutionary inference. Concerns about the identification of DNA sequences have been voiced several times in the past but few quantitative studies exist. Mitogenomes play important roles in phylogenetics, phylogeography, population genetics and DNA identification. However, the large number of mitogen...
Knowledge of the higher-level phylogenetic relationships of birds has grown substantially during the past two decades due to the application of genomic data. However, the nomenclature of higher-level taxa has not become more stable, due to the lack of regulation of taxon names above the level of superfamily by the ICZN, and the usage of rank-based...
The complete mitochondrial genome of Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis), GenBank accession number MT360379 (NC_053917), was published by Li and colleages in 2020. Here we show that this mitogenome is actually a chimera containing DNA fragments of both P. frontalis (15,518 bp, 92.5%) and Pink-rumped Rosefinch (Carpodacus waltoni eos, 1258...
The nightjars of the Caprimulgus macrurus complex are distributed from Pakistan to Australia and comprise six morphologically similar but vocally distinct species. Fieldwork on Timor and Wetar, Lesser Sunda Islands, has resulted in the discovery of a seventh species in the complex, which we describe as a new species. This species has previously bee...
The fundamental value of universal nomenclatural systems in biology is that they enable unambiguous scientific communication. However, the stability of these systems is threatened by recent discussions asking for a fairer nomenclature, raising the possibility of bulk revision processes for "inappropriate" names. It is evident that such proposals co...
List of the 1543 additional coauthors. Co-authors who contributed revising translations are listed first. Then, the rest of the coauthors are listed according alphabetic order of countries/territories.
A complete mitochondrial genome of Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), MK992912, was published by He and colleagues in 2020. Here we show that this mitogenome is actually a chimera containing DNA fragments of both C. tenuirostris (15,567 bp, 92.8%) and Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva, 1208 bp, 7.2%). Detecting such errors is possible before...
The family-group names based on the genera Morphnus, Harpia, Harpyopsis and Macheiramphus, recently identified as forming a clade at the rank of subfamily within the Accipitridae, are discussed in detail, and the problems associated with the use of Bock's History and Nomenclature of Avian Family-Group Names (1994) in assessing their availability an...
Species limits in the North Atlantic clade of small shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri lherminieri, P. l. baroli, and P. l. boydi) have been controversial. In this study, the aerial calls of P. l. boydi are described in detail and compared with those of P. l. baroli and P. l. lherminieri. Multivariate methods were used to test for differences in sev...
Multi-locus and phylogenomic studies have clarified the taxonomic limits and higher-level relationships among rails (Rallidae). A recently proposed classification of rails by Kirchman et al. (2021) listed nine tribes. The names of three of these (Gymnocrecini, Amaurornithini and Pardirallini) were introduced by Livezey (1998), but these names do no...
Phylogenomic analysis provides strong evidence for reciprocal monophyly of African, New World and Asian trogons. The family-group name Trogonini is available for the New World trogons, whereas the clades of African and Asian trogons have been named 'Apaloderminae' Sibley and Ahlquist, 1985, and 'Harpactini' Sibley, Ahlquist and Monroe, 1986, respec...
A recently published complete mitochondrial genome of Spotted Greenshank (Tringa guttifer) was the first DNA sequence of this species (GenBank accession number MK905885, RefSeq number NC_044665; Liu et al. 2019, The complete mitochondrial genome of the Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer (Charadriiforemes [sic]: Charadriidae), Mitochondrial DNA Part...
A recently published complete mitochondrial genome of Japanese or Temminck’s cormorant (Phalacrocorax capillatus) was the first of this species (GenBank accession number LC714913). Comparison of COI sequences shows that this mitogenome clustered with great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) rather than with its sister taxon P. capillatus. This suggest...
Phylogenetic analysis supports the placement of Nesoctites as the sister-group of all extant woodpeckers (Picidae), except Jynx, Sasia, Verreauxia, and Picumnus. Bock (1994) listed 'Nesoctitinae' Wolters, 1976, as an available family-group name. We show that the latter name did not meet the requirements of the ICZN Code (1999) and is therefore unav...
Recent phylogenetic studies have agreed that the Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa and the Blood Pheasant Ithaginis cruentus should be placed in Phasianinae as the successive sister taxa to all other members of this clade. We suggest that each of these species should be recognized as a separate tribe. The family-group name Lerwini von Boetticher, 1939 is...
Updated final version of statement now attached here.
Following recent informal use by Smith et al. (2023), it is shown that Androglossini Sundevall, 1872, and Microglossini Hogg, 1846, should not have replaced Amazonini Mathews & Iredale, 1920, and Proboscigerini Mathews, 1916, respectively, by virtue of their being replacement names under Article 40.2 (ICZN, 1999) and being shown to be in prevailing...
Molecular phylogenetic studies have documented the existence of four major clades within the Neotropical radiation of parrots, parrotlets, parakeets, and macaws (Arinae). A recent review applied the names 'Forpini' Brereton, 1964, and 'Amoropsittacini' Brereton, 1964 to two of these clades. We show that Brereton (1964) does not contain descriptions...
Multi-locus phylogenetic studies of nightjars provide congruent support for a sister-relationship between Eurostopodus Gould, 1838a and all other members of Caprimulgidae Vigors, 1825 (nightjars). In rank-based nomenclature, these two groups are best recognised as subfamily taxa. We show that the name Eurostopodidae, used by Sibley, Ahlquist and Mo...
Phylogenomic analysis has provided evidence that the Agami Heron Agamia agami represents a deeply divergent lineage which is sister to all other herons, except the tiger herons (Tigrisoma, Tigriornis) and Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius. The name 'Agamiinae' Kushlan & Hancock, 2005, has been used for this lineage. However, this name does...
Summary.—Mexican Woodnymph Thalurania ridgwayi was long included in thegenus Thalurania. A previously published molecular phylogenetic study found thatthis species is in fact sister to the genus Eupherusa. We discuss whether ridgwayi isbetter lumped with Eupherusa or placed in a different genus, and consider that the latter arrangement best reflect...
Summary.— A review of eight molecular phylogenetic studies supports the
distinctiveness of the genera Sasia/Verreauxia from Picumnus and casts doubt on the
monophyly of Picumninae. We propose to restrict Picumninae to Picumnus and to
place Sasia and Verreauxia in a new subfamily, Sasiinae.
Résumé.-Un examen de huit études phylogénétiques molécu...
A new species of scops-owl (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae, Otus ) is described from Príncipe Island, São Tomé and Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea, Africa). This species was discovered for science in 2016, although suspicions of its occurrence gained traction from 1998, and testimonies from local people suggesting its existence could be traced back to 1928...
The European Robin Erithacus rubecula is currently treated as a single species with eight subspecies. A previous molecular study and new molecular, morphometric and bioacoustic data reported here strongly support the recognition of three species in this complex: E. rubecula (Europe, North Africa and Macaronesia except the central Canary Islands), E...
Several cryptic avian species have been validated by recent integrative taxonomic efforts in the Sino-Himalayan mountains, indicating that avian diversity in this global biodiversity hotspot may be underestimated. In the present study, we investigated species limits in the genus Tarsiger, the bush robins, a group of montane forest specialists with...
The taxonomic status of the North American and Eurasian populations of northern goshawk A. gentilis has been called into question by recent molecular studies, indicating the need for additional taxonomic study. Vocalisations have long played an important role in diagnosing potentially reproductively isolated groups of birds. The chattering-type cal...
The eared nightjars (Lyncornis, formerly Eurostopodus) comprise six taxa distributed from southern India and Southeast Asia to Sulawesi. Species limits in this group have not been evaluated since 1940. In this study, we use three datasets (morphology, acoustics and mitochondrial DNA) to assess the taxonomic status of taxa in this genus. Multivariat...
The eared nightjars (Lyncornis, formerly Eurostopodus) comprise six taxa distributed from southern India and Southeast Asia to Sulawesi. Species limits in this group have not been evaluated since 1940. In this study, we use three datasets (morphology, acoustics and mitochondrial DNA) to assess the taxonomic status of taxa in this genus. Multivariat...
The Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica is a well-known but declining bird endemic to Britain and Ireland. Its taxonomic status was downgraded from species to subspecies in the mid-twentieth century but without any clear rationale. Here, we review the molecular evidence that has accumulated since the mid 1980s and address three issues: (i) the evolu...
Bonapartia Goode & Bean, 1896 is currently a valid genus of fish containing the single species Bonapartia pedaliota Goode & Bean, 1896 (Eschmeyer, 1990, Eschmeyer et al., 1998, Fricke et al., 2021). The date of publication is 23 August (Jordan & Evermann, 1898: 2843; see also Cohen, 1963). The name Bonapartia Büttikofer, 1896 (Aves: Pycnonotidae) w...
Background
The Savanna Nightjar ( Caprimulgus affinis ) is a widespread, polytypic species which was previously treated as two or three species. It is currently treated as a single species based on superficial similarity of their songs but no detailed comparisons of the songs in this complex have been made.
Methods
A total of 15 acoustic variables...
Platylophus galericulatus (Cuvier, 1816) is a lowland forest bird found in southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra and Java. Its taxonomic placement has long puzzled systematists (e.g. Amadon 1944, Goodwin 1976). Comparisons of feather tracts and osteology led some to believe that it does not belong to the crows (Clench 1985, Hope 1...
Multiple molecular phylogenetic studies have demonstrated that two Neotropical raptors, tiny hawk Accipiter superciliosus and its sister species semicollared hawk A. collaris, are not closely related to core Accipiter, and that A. superciliosus, at least, possesses osteological characters not replicated in the remainder of the genus. Based on these...
In 2017, Gang Liu and colleagues published a paper in this journal in which they described the first mitochondrial genome of Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis (Aves, Accipitriformes). The paper included two phylogenies (one based on full mitogenomes, the other on mitochondrial 12S/16S rRNA sequences) that placed this species among the goshawks...
The recently published mitogenome of milk shark Rhizoprionodon acutus (MN602076/NC_046016) was fully resolved in an unexpected phylogenetic position in the original mitogenome announcement, which rendered the genus Scoliodon paraphyletic. Here, we show that this mitogenome is actually that of a misidentified Pacific spadenose shark (Scoliodon macro...
Recent genomic data sets have resolved many aspects of higher-level phylogenetic relationships of birds. Eleven phylogenomic studies provide congruent support for a clade formed by Procellariiformes, Sphenisciformes, Ciconiiformes, Suliformes and Pelecani-formes. This clade is here named 'Feraequornithes' following the rules and requirements of the...
Recent genomic data sets have resolved many aspects of higher-level phylogenetic relationships of birds. Eleven phylogenomic studies provide congruent support for a clade formed by Procellariiformes , Sphenisciformes , Ciconiiformes , Suliformes and Pelecaniformes . This clade is here named ‘ Feraequornithes ’ following the rules and requirements o...
Chimeric mitogenomes are artifacts resulting from laboratory or sequence assembly errors. There have been no quantitative studies of chimeric DNA sequences in animals and their effects on phylogenetics and DNA identification have not been studied. We describe a new, simple strategy for detecting chimeras and apply this to a set of 123 mitogenomes o...
Statement of concern We, the undersigned scientists, raise here our gravest concerns about the extinction risk to many species and populations of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). Each one of us is a cetacean specialist and each one of us believes this issue is now critical. The lack of concrete action to address threats adversely affecti...
The mitogenome of Eptesicus serotinus (Serotine bat) was published in 2013 with GenBank accession number KF111725 and NCBI Reference Sequence number NC_022474. This sequence was placed with Vespertilio sinensis (Asian parti-colored bat) in a COI gene tree but with Hypsugo alashanicus (Alashanian pipistrelle) in a cytochrome b gene tree. Direct comp...
Two bird species described in the December 1944 issue of the journal El Hornero were actually published in August 1945.
We re‐evaluated the taxonomy of the Striated Prinia Prinia crinigera‐Brown Prinia P. polychroa complex using molecular, morphological and vocal analyses. The extensive seasonal, sexual, age‐related, geographic, and taxon‐specific variation in this complex has never before been adequately studied. As no previous genetic or vocal analyses focused on...
Evidence is presented that [REDACTED] (2017, 2019) may be guilty of scientific misconduct by publishing phylogenies that are not based on existing data, but are fabricated to reflect (their) preconceived ideas about phylogenetic relationships. The phylogenies published by [REDACTED] give the impression that two mitogenomic sequences described in th...
Evidence is presented that Liu et al. (2016a, 2016b) may be guilty of scientific misconduct by (i) publishing two mitogenome announcements as their own, while in fact these mitogenomes were already published by other authors who are demonstrably the original authors of those sequences (Mu et al. 2014, Shi et al. 2014), (ii) re-publishing at least o...
Species are the basic currency in biodiversity studies, but what constitutes a species has long been controversial. Since the late 1990s, debates over species have shifted from theoretical questions (e.g., What is a species? Which species concept is best?) to empirical questions (How can we document species both efficiently and accurately?). A grow...
Previous molecular phylogenetic analyses and new analyses reported here demonstrate that the genus Claravis is not monophyletic and comprises two lineages, one with the species pretiosa Ferrari-Pérez, 1886 (Blue Ground-dove), and the other with two species: geoffroyi Temminck, 1811 (Purple-winged Ground-dove) and mondetoura Bonaparte, 1856 (Maroon-...
Taxonomy is a scientific discipline that has provided the universal naming and classification system of biodiversity for centuries and continues effectively to accommodate new knowledge. A recent publication by Garnett and Christidis [1] expressed concerns regarding the difficulty that taxonomic changes represent for conservation efforts and propos...
The relationships among Old World chats and flycatchers (Muscicapidae) have recently been clarified in two independent molecular phylogenetic studies (Sangster et al. 2010, Zuccon & Ericson 2010). Both studies recovered a well-supported clade of predominantly blue flycatchers of the genera Niltava, Cyornis, Eumyias and Cyanoptila, some species trad...
A 90-year-old mystery solved: a potentially new species of owl from Príncipe - Volume 50 Issue 4 - Philippe Verbelen, Martim Melo, George Sangster, Felipe Spina
Observations by Alfred Wallace and Jared Diamond of plumage similarities between co-occurring orioles (Oriolus) and friarbirds (Philemon) in the Malay archipelago led them to conclude that the former represent visual mimics of the latter. Here, we use molecular phylogenies and plumage reflectance measurements to test several key predictions of the...
Background
Many species of owls (Strigidae) represent cryptic species and their taxonomic study is in flux. In recent years, two new species of owls of the genus Strix have been described from the Middle East by different research teams. It has been suggested that one of these species, S. omanensis, is not a valid species but taxonomic comparisons...
The conservation of endangered taxa often critically depends on accurate taxonomic designations. The status of the Gran Canaria population of the Blue Chaffinch Fringilla t. polatzeki has not been reevaluated since the early 1900s when this taxon was described as a subspecies and combined with the much more common Tenerife Blue Chaffinch F. t. teyd...
Sillem's Mountain Finch Leucosticte sillemi was described in 1992 on the basis of an adult and an immature specimen collected in western Tibet in September 1929, but its taxonomic validity and phylogenetic position have been unclear. Based on phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA from the holotype, we show that L. sillemi is not a colour morph...
Recommendations in this report fall into four categories: (1) changes in generic allocation (Porzana parva, P. pusilla, Charadrius asiaticus, C. veredus, C. leschenaultii, C. mongolus, C. pecuarius, C. alexandrinus, Egretta intermedia, Dendrocopos medius, D. minor), (2) changes in the taxonomic sequence of species (Charadrius, Dendrocopos, Sylvia,...
We are writing to register our support for the proposed suppression of the work ‘The White-cheeked Geese. . .’ by Harold C. Hanson. Suppression of entire taxonomic works for nomenclatural purposes should be considered only in exceptional cases. We believe this is such a case. The aforementioned work introduces an extreme number of species-group nam...
Molecular phylogenetic analysis has demonstrated that the genus Gallinula is not monophyletic and comprises four major lineages. A review of the nomenclature of Gallinula shows that generic names are available for three lineages but that a fourth is as yet unnamed. A new monotypic genus, Paragallinula gen. nov., is described for Lesser Moorhen (Gal...
Background
Most species of owls (Strigidae) represent cryptic species and their taxonomic study is in flux. In recent years, two new species of owls of the genus Strix have been described from the Arabian peninsula by different research teams. It has been suggested that one of these species, S. omanensis , is not a valid species but taxonomic compa...
Field identification of three proposed (sub)species in the Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera b. brydei, B. b. edeni, B. omurai) complex is difficult. As a consequence, their distribution is incompletely known. We opportunistically sampled four previously unidentified whales which stranded on Aruba, southern Caribbean, between 2001 and 2012. Phylogenetic...
This paper is the tenth report of the Taxonomic Sub-Committee of the BOU Records Committee. Species-level decisions are based on criteria outlined by Helbig et al. (2002). The ninth report of the Sub-Committee was published by Sangster et al. (2013). Recommendations in this report fall into five categories: (i) recognition of higher taxa not recogn...
This paper is the Ninth Report of the Taxonomic Sub-Committee of the BOU Records Committee (BOURC-TSC). Previously, the remit of the BOURC-TSC has been restricted to taxonomic issues affecting those species admitted to the Brit-ish List (for which, see BOU 2013). To facilitate collaboration with other national taxonomic com-mittees and with the obj...
The Indo-Pacific region has arguably been the most important area for the formulation of theories about biogeography and speciation, but modern studies of the tempo, mode and magnitude of diversification across this region are scarce. We study the biogeographic history and characterize levels of diversification in the wide-ranging passerine bird Er...
List of specimens examined.
(DOCX)
Photographs of study skins. From left to right: two male Otus manadensis manadensis from Sulawesi, two male O. jolandae from Lombok (holotype left, male paratype right), and two male O. magicus albiventris from southern Flores.
(TIF)
Recording localities and recordists. Numbers following each name represent the number of recordings from the recordist at each site.
(DOCX)
Standardized canonical discrimination function coefficients examining trends in variance of 13 acoustic variables1 measured for territorial songs of six taxa with whistled songs. Eigenvalues and percentage of variance accounted for by each root are given at the bottom of the table.
(DOCX)
Otus jolandae, song, Senaru, Lombok, August 2008, Philippe Verbelen.
(WAV)
Otus magicus albiventris, song, Labuhanbajo, Flores, August 2003, George Sangster.
(WAV)
Questions
Questions (3)
A paper published in Evolution was based on a dataset that the authors compiled for their study. The same dataset was re-used and heavily relied upon in a paper published by another team in Molecular Ecology. I have checked the dataset and ~10% of the records are unequivocally erroneous. However, the conclusions of (at least) the second paper would not change if the correct data are used. (Although both teams have clearly been sloppy, I have no indications that the authors were aware of their errors.)
My questions are as follows:
1. Should the first paper with the erroneous dataset (or both papers) be retracted?
2. If not, should the authors publish corrections of their papers?
3. Should the erroneous dataset (i.e. the online supporting materials of the first paper) be retracted?
4. If that is impossible, then what?
5. How can I get credit for my work, or should I consider this type of audit a free service to sloppy authors who can't be bothered to check their research data? (I am aware of at least 50 other papers with unreported erroneous data.)
I am looking into the description of a recently proposed new animal species which was described using 1 holotype and multiple syntypes. (The author used the term syntype/syntypes >10 times in his description, but never used the term paratype, so his desgnation of syntypes was not a simple lapsus for 'paratypes')
This appears to be problematic because according to the ICZN, a holotype is the single specimen upon which a new nominal species-group taxon is based (Art. 73.1), whereas syntypes are specimens of a type series that collectively constitute the name-bearing type (Art. 73.2). Thus, a new species should be described on the basis of either a holotype or multiple syntypes, but not both.
My question is: given this problem, is the proposed new name available? And if so, which is/are the type(s)? Does this require the designation of a lectotype? Should this case be submitted to the ICZN?
