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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 bp, 7.5%). This mitogenome has been re-used in at least three phylogenies. Our study confirms that mitogenomes are best verified with multiple gene trees, and that any anomalies should be investigated by direct comparison of sequences.

The blue whistling thrush (Myophonus caeruleus) is a bird belonging to the order Passeriformes and family Muscicapidae. M. caeruleus is widely distributed in China, Pakistan, India, and Myanmar and is a resident bird in the southern part of the Yangtze River in China and summer migratory bird in the northern part of the Yangtze River. At present, there are some controversies about the classification of M. caeruleus. We use complete mitochondrial genomes to provide insights into the phylogenetic position of M. caeruleus and its relationships among Muscicapidae. The mitochondrial genome (GenBank: MN564936) is 16,815 bp long and contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and a non-coding control region (D-loop). The thirteen PCGs started with GTG and ATG and ended with five types of stop codons. The nucleotide composition of T was 23.71%, that of C was 31.45%, that of A was 30.06%, and that of G was 14.78%. The secondary structures of 22 tRNAs were predicted, all of which could form typical cloverleaf structures. There were 24 mismatches, mainly G–U mismatches. Through phylogenetic tree reconstruction, it was found that Saxicola, Monticola, Oenanthe, and Phoenicurus were clustered into one clade, together with the sister group of Myophonus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 bp, 7.5%). This mitogenome has been re-used in at least three phylogenies. Our study confirms that mitogenomes are best verified with multiple gene trees, and that any anomalies should be investigated by direct comparison of sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tarsiger indicus (Vieillot, 1817), the White-browed Bush Robin, is a small passerine bird widely distributed in Asian countries. Here, we successfully sequenced its mitogenome using the Illumina Novaseq 6000 platform (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) for PE 2 × 150 bp sequencing. Combined with other published mitogenomes, we conducted the first comprehensive comparative mitogenome analysis of Muscicapidae birds and reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships between Muscicapidae and related groups. The T. indicus mitogenome was 16,723 bp in size, and it possessed the typical avian mitogenome structure and organization. Most PCGs of T. indicus were initiated strictly with the typical start codon ATG, while COX1 and ND2 were started with GTG. RSCU statistics showed that CUA, CGA, and GCC were relatively high frequency in the T. indicus mitogenome. T. cyanurus and T. indicus shared very similar mitogenomic features. All 13 PCGs of Muscicapidae mitogenomes had experienced purifying selection. Specifically, ATP8 had the highest rate of evolution (0.13296), whereas COX1 had the lowest (0.01373). The monophylies of Muscicapidae, Turdidae, and Paradoxornithidae were strongly supported. The clade of ((Muscicapidae + Turdidae) + Sturnidae) in Passeriformes was supported by both Bayesian Inference and Maximum likelihood analyses. The latest taxonomic status of many passerine birds with complex taxonomic histories were also supported. For example, Monticola gularis, T. indicus, and T. cyanurus were allocated to Turdidae in other literature; our phylogenetic topologies clearly supported their membership in Muscicapidae; Paradoxornis heudei, Suthora webbiana, S. nipalensis, and S. fulvifrons were formerly classified into Muscicapidae; we supported their membership in Paradoxornithidae; Culicicapa ceylonensis was originally classified as a member of Muscicapidae; our results are consistent with a position in Stenostiridae. Our study enriches the genetic data of T. indicus and provides new insights into the molecular phylogeny and evolution of passerine birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Avian haemosporidians are widespread parasites, occurring in many bird families and causing pathologies ranging from rather benign infections to highly virulent diseases. The state of knowledge about lineage-specific intensities of haemosporidian infection (i.e., parasitaemia) is mainly based on infection experiments conducted under laboratory conditions. The levels and range of parasitaemia in natural host–parasite associations as well as their influencing factor remain largely unexplored. Methods: Thus, we explored the parasitaemia of four songbird species (i.e., European Robins, Black and Common Redstarts and Whinchats) during migration by screening individuals upon landing on an insular passage site after extensive endurance flights to (1) describe their natural host–parasite associations, (2) quantify parasitaemia and (3) explore potential host- and parasite-related factors influencing parasitaemia. Results: We found 68% of Whinchats to be infected with haemosporidians, which is more frequent than any other of the studied host species (30–34%). Furthermore, we confirmed that parasitaemia of Haemoproteus infections was higher than average Plasmodium infections. Median parasitaemia levels were rather low (parasite cells in 0.01% of hosts' red blood cells) and varied largely among the different parasite lineages. However, we found four individuals hosting infections with parasitaemia higher than typical chronic infections. Conclusions: Based on the known transmission areas of the respective lineages, we argue that these higher intensity infections might be relapses of consisting infections rather than acute phases of recent primary infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) forms with the Mediterranean flycatcher (Muscicapa tyrrhenica) a newly recognized species pair of trans-Saharan migratory passerines. These flycatchers present a nested peripatric distribution, a pattern especially unusual among high dispersal species that questions the eco-evolutionary factors involved during the speciation process. Here, we present a genome assembly for M. striata assembled using a combination of Nanopore and Illumina sequences. The final assembly is 1.08 Gb long and consists of 4,779 contigs with an N50 of 3.2 Mb. The completeness of our M. striata genome assembly is supported by the number of BUSCO (95%) and ultraconserved element (UCE) (4889/5041; 97.0%) loci retrieved. This assembly showed high synteny with the Ficedula albicollis reference genome, the closest species for which a chromosome-scale reference genome is available. Several inversions were identified and will need to be investigated at the family level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most populations of the European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca are decreasing. Different reasons for the decline are discussed, including biotic interactions and climate change. It is evident that many studies have been conducted in populations depending completely on nest boxes, but the influence of this artificial support on population dynamics is not well understood. We investigated the population dynamics of the Pied Flycatcher in the Kottenforst, an old-growth forest in western Germany, using recent data as well as historical records. We also determined the proportion of pairs breeding in nest boxes vs. natural nesting places. Specifically, we quantitatively analysed forest structure around tree holes occupied by the Pied Flycatcher. We found a continuous increase in population size since its establishment in the 1960s, which contrasts with overall long-term population trends in Europe as well as the regional trend. Whereas importance of nest boxes decreased over recent years, the majority of pairs are occupying tree holes for breeding, which are abundant in the richly structured, open old-growth forest. This forest structure seems to be optimal for the Pied Flycatcher since it allows flying insects to be hunted close to the nest. Finally, we discuss how forest structure and age as well as tree hole and insect availability may determine population trends of the Pied Flycatcher and highlight the importance of long-term studies. —Abrahamczyk, S., Grimm, J., Fehn, M. & Stiels, D. (2023). Long-term decoupling of a local population trend of the European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca from nest box abundance indicates the importance of old-growth forest. Ardeola, 70: 185-200. La mayoría de las poblaciones de papamoscas cerrojillo Ficedula hypoleuca están disminuyendo. Se discuten diferentes razones de este declive, entre ellas las interacciones bióticas y el cambio climático. Es evidente que se han realizado muchos estudios en poblaciones que dependen completamente de las cajas nido, pero no se conoce bien la influencia de este soporte artificial en la dinámica poblacional. Hemos investigado la dinámica poblacional del papamoscas cerrojillo en Kottenforst, un bosque antiguo del oeste de Alemania, utilizando datos recientes y registros históricos. También determinamos la proporción de parejas que crían en cajas nido frente a lugares de nidificación naturales. En concreto, analizamos cuantitativamente la estructura forestal en torno a los huecos de los árboles ocupados por el papamoscas cerrojillo. Encontramos un aumento continuo del tamaño de la población desde su establecimiento en la década de 1960, lo que contrasta con las tendencias poblacionales generales a largo plazo en Europa, así como con la tendencia regional. Mientras que la importancia de las cajas nido ha disminuido en los últimos años, la mayoría de las parejas ocupan agujeros en los árboles para criar, que son abundantes en el bosque antiguo, abierto y ricamente estructurado. Esta estructura forestal parece ser óptima para el papamoscas cerrojillo, ya que permite cazar insectos voladores cerca del nido. Por último, discutimos cómo la estructura y la edad del bosque, así como la disponibilidad de huecos en los árboles y de insectos, pueden determinar las tendencias poblacionales del papamoscas cerrojillo y destacamos la importancia de los estudios a largo plazo.—Abrahamczyk, S., Grimm, J., Fehn, M. y Stiels, D. (2023). La desvinculación a largo plazo entre la tendencia poblacional local del papamoscas cerrojillo Ficedula hypoleuca y la cantidad de cajas nido indica la importancia del bosque maduro. Ardeola, 70: 185-200. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was carried out to explore the status of avifauna in the Barmer and Jalore districts of Rajasthan, from September 2021 to August 2022. A total of 111 bird species were identified during the study period. Point count and line transects methods were employed for counting the birds and their residential status. The residential status of bird species indicates that about 65% of bird species were local, 28% of bird species were migratory, and 7% of bird species were resident migrants. We determined the overall density of avian species in the Barmer and Jalore areas which were 173.34 and 214.34 birds per square kilometer, respectively. The Muscicapidae and Anatidae families show the highest relative diversity (7.27). For the identification of bird species, we used the standard guide. We also used the camera for photography and binoculars to observe the bird species. The maximum number of all types of bird species were noted near the main canal area than the small distributaries. The noisy place and disturbed areas were not preferred by the bird species. The density and diversity of bird species were affected by the noisy environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents findings based on the observations related to the defensive mutualistic relationship between Oenanthe isabellina (Temminck, 1829) and ground squirrels of the genus Spermophilus Cuvier, 1825. Oenanthe isabellina acted as an alarm bell to avoid predators from its offspring and indirectly from the Spermophilus species. Thus, the ground squirrel gained time to escape from the predator into its hole. On the other hand, the ground squirrel offers a safer underground nest to the bird for its eggs and offspring in return for early warning service. In addition, this symbiotic relationship was sometimes seen to become a competition between the bird-mammal couple, and it even at times turned into a form of mobbing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The study of prey-predator interactions between land snails and birds offers important insights into evolutionary and ecological relationships. Here, we report a case study of rock anvils presumably used by the birds Myophonus caeruleus and Enicurus ruficapillus in a cave cavity of a limestone hill in Malaysia. We did not detect any other species in the plots and, therefore, based on our short study duration, we cannot rule out the possibility that other species, such as mammals, preyed on the snails. The predated shell remains of four land snails namely, Hemiplecta sp., Cyclophorus perdix perdix, Amphidromus atricallosus perakensis and Cyclophorus semisulcatus, were found around rock anvils in the nine plots. Finally, we discussed the potential and the limitations of using shell remains of preyed land snails for behavioural, ecological and evolutionary studies between land snails and their predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gut microbiota and host interactions co-evolve and develop into stably adapted microbial communities and play vital roles in maintaining the health of organisms. Diet is supposed to be an important driver of differences in gut microbiota, but previous studies would commonly use literature depictions, which are essential but inaccurate, to explain the effects of diet on the gut microbiota of wild birds. In this study, we collected intestinal samples from five sympatric flycatchers to compare the gut microbial differences using bacterial 16S rRNA genes from Illumina MiSeq platform. Over 1,642,482 quality-filtered sequences from 18 16S rRNA libraries were obtained and distinct compositions and diversities of gut microbiota were found in five flycatchers. Their gut microbiota is mainly from the four bacterial phyla of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinomycetes, and Bacteroidetes, but at the genus level showed a significant difference. Functional predictions revealed that the metabolic capacity of the gut microbiota of five flycatchers is greatly distinguished at KEGG level 3. And multiple food fragments showed a significant correlation with gut microbiota. Besides, the significant differences in the specific composition of the diets of the five insectivorous flycatchers indicated the differentiation of dietary niches. The study of the gut microbiota and feeding habits of sympatric flycatchers would increase the understanding of the gut microbial diversity of wild birds, and also improve our cognition of the co-evolution and co-adaptation within the host gut microbiota relations.

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 bp, 7.5%). This mitogenome has been re-used in at least three phylogenies. Our study confirms that mitogenomes are best verified with multiple gene trees, and that any anomalies should be investigated by direct comparison of sequences., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Female song is widespread across bird species yet rarely reported. Here, we report the first observations and description of female song in the Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca and compare it to male song through the breeding season. Twenty-five percent of colour-ringed females were observed singing at least once, predominantly in April, compared to 71% of males that continued singing through the breeding period. We suggest that female song may have multiple functions in this species, but it may be especially important in territorial defence and mate acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amolops chunganensis is a species complex and reported widely from eastern, southern, and southwestern China. Based on molecular data of 19 populations of A. chunganensis sensu lato from China, including the population from Mt. Wuyi (type locality), we recognize A. chunganensis sensu stricto and provide an expanded description based on the topotypic specimens. Combining morphological and molecular data, we describe a new species, Amolops chaochin sp. nov., from southwestern China, which was previously identified as A. chunganensis. The new species is distinguished from all other species in the A. monticola group by: (1) moderate body size, SVL 35.3−39.2 mm in males (n=7), and 50.5−54.4 mm in females (n=7); (2) distinct tympanum, larger than half of eye diameter; (3) small tooth-like projection on anteromedial edge of mandible; (4) circummarginal groove on all fingers; (5) white tubercles on dorsal side of posterior body in both sexes; (6) distinct tubercles on dorsal thigh and white spinose tubercles on dorsal tibia in both sexes; (7) white tubercles on posterior region of tympanum in males; (8) toe webbing reaching disk by dermal fringe on inner side of toe II; (9) vomerine teeth present; (10) transverse bands on dorsal limbs; (11) external vocal sacs present in males. We further reviewed the assignment of Amolops groups, with an overall revision of membership and diagnosis of all species groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fiscal Flycatcher, Sigelus silens, is the only representative of a monotypic genus, endemic to Southern Africa, and may represent two cryptic species. Here we describe the development of thirteen microsatellite markers, and characterize polymorphism for each one. We found that all but one of our 13 loci were highly variable, each having five or more alleles. This suggests that these markers will have high variability across the species range and will be of utility in understanding the extent of gene flow among populations.

Advances in understanding geographic patterns of life history variation depend on documentation of life history traits for species in poorly studied regions. In the tropics, most species have not had their life history traits described. We compared the reproductive biology of two closely related Muscicapids, the Bornean Whistling-Thrush (Myophonus borneensis) and the Bornean subspecies of the White-crowned Forktail (Enicurus leschenaulti borneensis), coexisting in Mount Kinabalu Park in Sabah, Malaysia. Both species specialize in riparian habitats, but whistling-thrushes are more adaptable to human presence and can be found nesting on and foraging around buildings, whereas forktails are more wary of humans. We located and monitored 77 forktail nests and 130 whistling-thrush nests from 2009 to 2020. Mean clutch size was 2.00 ± 0.04 for forktails and 1.89 ± 0.04 for whistling-thrushes. Mean egg mass at lay was 4.07 ± 0.04 g for forktails and 11.65 ± 0.12 g for whistling-thrushes. Forktail incubation period (17.0 ± 0.42 d) was slightly shorter than for whistling-thrush (18.6 ± 0.19 d), but both species had similar rates of incubation attentiveness. Nestling periods were much shorter for the forktail (15.89 ± 0.39 d) than the whistling-thrush (24.00 ± 0.20 d). The shorter nestling period was associated with faster growth and higher provisioning rates for forktails than whistling-thrushes. Whistling-thrushes are larger and better able to protect their nests from predation, yielding much lower daily nest predation rates (0.012 ± 0.002) than in forktails (0.042 ± 0.006). Indeed, whistling-thrushes were themselves predators of nestlings and eggs of other passerines, whereas forktails were not. The larger size and lower predation risk may explain the slower growth and development of whistling-thrushes. Both species are vulnerable to climate change and droughts because of their reliance on riparian habitats.

The present study deals with the observation of avifauna in the Natural habitat and their adjoining areas of Harbhajwala in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The study was carried out between December 2018 to October 2020. We observed 114 bird species, belonging to 50 families during the study period. Out of these 97 residents and 19 winters, migratory species were identified. The percentage of resident and winter visitor avian species was found to be 84% and 16%. Then the maximum number of species recorded from the family Muscicapidae. During the observation, we observed the Egyptian Vulture and Alexandrine Parakeet as Endangered and near-threatened species respectively according to IUCN. The presence of threatened species indicates the more conservation efforts are needed in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sequenced the mitochondrial genome of Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus using the next-generation sequencing. The circular genome is 16,832 bp long, encoding 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and a control region. The lengths of rrnL and rrnS were determined to be 1,597 and 984 bp, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of 18 mitogenomes of Muscicapidae supports monophylies of all genera, including P. auroreus. The information would be useful for understanding the phylogeny and evolution of Muscicapidae.

The mitochondrial genome of Paradoxornis heudei is described in this study. The molecule is 16,924 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and an AT-rich region. All PCGs use the typical start and stop codons, except COX3, ND2, and ND4 use T or TA as their stop codons. The rrnL and rrnS genes are 1602 bp and 984 bp in length, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the least evolved Paradoxornis locates at the basic position of Muscicapidae and among Paradoxornis, the other three species are firstly clustered together, then constitute a monophyletic group with P. heudei.

Using a combination of morphological and molecular data, we describe a new apicomplexan parasite, Isospora svecica sp. n., from the white-spotted bluethroat, Luscinia svecica cyanecula, from the Czech Republic. Oocysts were found in its intestinal tract. Sporulation was exogenous and took 1–3 days. The oocysts were slightly ellipsoidal, of average size 26.17 × 20.33 μm, with a smooth bilayered wall. Micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granules were absent. Sporocysts were bottle-shaped, of an average size of 18.82 × 8.82 μm, with a thin, colourless wall. A conspicuous knob-like Stieda body was present. Substieda body was barely visible. Sporocyst residuum was present in the form of granules of various sizes. Sporozoites were banana-shaped and contained large anterior and small posterior refractile bodies. Partial DNA sequences of three genes were obtained from oocysts of Isospora svecica sp. n., being most closely related to other isosporans described from passerines. Little is known about the parasites of the avian family Muscicapidae, including coccidia, a highly prevalent parasitic protist group in all vertebrate classes. Only six species of the genus Isospora have so far been described in Muscicapidae, together with several "Isospora sp." that in fact most likely represent Isospora lacazei. The newly described Isospora svecica sp. n. differs morphologically from other coccidia reported from muscicapid birds, and represents the first coccidian species described from Luscinia svecica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interspecific competition is hypothesized to be a strong force that sets species range limits and drives parapatric distributions of closely related species on tropical mountains. Yet, experimental evidence that competition drives spatial segregation of closely related species on elevational gradients is rare. To test whether competition limits elevational ranges of tropical songbirds, we conducted reciprocal playback experiments on 2 pairs of species with adjacent but nonoverlapping (parapatric) distributions and 1 pair of sympatric species. We found asymmetric interspecific aggression in one parapatric pair (Pycnonotidae) and a complete absence of interspecific aggression in the other (Zosteropidae). We also found asymmetric interspecies aggression in a pair of sympatric flycatchers (Muscicapidae). Our results indicate that interspecific aggression may set range limits in some cases, but it is not a prerequisite for parapatry. Furthermore, the presence of interspecific aggression between co-occurring relatives suggests that while competition may play a role in limiting species distributions, interspecific aggression alone is not sufficient evidence to assert that competition is the primary driver of parapatric distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The succession of glacials and interglacials during the Pleistocene strongly influenced the diversification and distribution patterns in birds. In contrast to species of temperate regions, open‐habitat specialists should have experienced range expansion during the longer glacial periods, while range contractions occurred during the shorter interglacials. However, only few studies have tested this prediction so far. We studied the Oenanthe hispanica–pleschanka–cypriaca (Aves, Muscicapidae: Saxicolinae) complex characteristic of open habitats in the Palearctic. Based on three mitochondrial and one Z‐linked nuclear marker, we inferred its phylogeny, historical diversification, and demography. Ecological niche modeling was used to reconstruct potential distributions during the last glacial maximum and the last interglacial. Using 19 morphological traits, we tested for morphometric differences among the different taxa. Mitochondrial markers revealed strong genetic differences between O. h. hispanica and the other taxa with a divergence event at around 1.7 million years ago. No consistent genetic differences were revealed between O. cypriaca, O. h. melanoleuca, and O. pleschanka. The latter two hybridize in contact zones, which might explain partly the lack of genetic differentiation; yet, further analyses using genomic data are needed to infer the true divergence history of the complex. Signs of population expansions in the clade comprising O. h. melanoleuca, O. pleschanka, and O. cypriaca at 90,000 years ago coincided with the last glacial as predicted. Population expansion then was also supported by ecological climate niche models. O. h. hispanica was not consistently separated from the other taxa in morphometrics. It might nonetheless warrant species status, pending further analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular phylogenetic approaches have greatly improved our knowledge of the pattern and process of biological diversification across the globe; however, many regions remain poorly documented, even for well-studied vertebrate taxa. The Philippine archipelago, one of the least-studied ‘biodiversity hotspots’, is an ideal natural laboratory for investigating the factors driving diversification in an insular and geologically dynamic setting. We investigated the history and geography of diversification of the Philippine populations of a widespread montane bird, the White-browed Shortwing ( Brachypteryx montana ). Leveraging dense archipelago-wide sampling, we generated a multi-locus genetic dataset (one nuclear and two mtDNA markers), which we analyzed using phylogenetic, population genetic, and coalescent-based methods. Our results demonstrate that Philippine shortwings (1) likely colonized the Philippines from the Sunda Shelf to Mindanao in the late Miocene or Pliocene, (2) diversified across inter-island barriers into three divergent lineages during the Pliocene and early Pleistocene, (3) have not diversified within the largest island, Luzon, contrary to patterns observed in other montane taxa, and (4) colonized Palawan from the oceanic Philippines rather than from Borneo, challenging the assumption of Palawan functioning exclusively as a biogeographic extension of the Sunda Shelf. Additionally, our finding that divergent (c. 4.0 mya) lineages are coexisting in secondary sympatry on Mindanao without apparent gene flow suggests that the speciation process is likely complete for these shortwing lineages. Overall, these investigations provide insight into how topography and island boundaries influence diversification within remote oceanic archipelagos and echo the results of many other studies in demonstrating that taxonomic diversity continues to be underestimated in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim A current model of rain forest population diversification in Sundaland specifies east-west vicariance into refugia during the early Pleistocene. In some taxa, this division was followed by dispersal and apparent secondary contact on Borneo in the late Pleistocene. To investigate genetic, morphological, spatial and temporal characteristics of the model, we compared genomic population and plumage variation among four bird species with east-west mt DNA and plumage structure. Location Borneo and western Sundaland (Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula). Methods We quantified plumage patterns among populations of two muscicapids ( Copsychus saularis and Kittacincla malabarica) and two timaliids ( Mixornis gularis and Trichastoma malaccense), and compared them with population genetic patterns determined from (1) SNPs produced by RAD-Seq and (2) previously sequenced mt DNA. Results All four species exhibit east-west variation in morphological and some genetic characters, but patterns are idiosyncratic. Copsychus saularis' mt DNA and plumage change gradually across Borneo, but RAD-Seq comparisons indicate no population structure. In K. malabarica, all three characteristics change abruptly and concurrently on Borneo. In M. gularis, the main east-west break occurs between Borneo and western Sundaland, with marginal mt DNA, plumage and RAD-Seq structure on Borneo. T. malaccense exhibits two distinct mt DNA and genomic transitions, an early Pleistocene break between western Sundaland and Borneo, and a Pliocene break between the north-east and the rest of Borneo. Despite this deep genetic division, its plumage changes clinally across Borneo. Main conclusions Mt DNA, plumage and RAD-Seq patterns may vary depending on such factors as pre-Pleistocene distribution, habitat requirements and dispersal propensity, differential introgression among the three character types, selection on plumage and phylogenetic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the feather mite genus Proterothrix (Proctophyllodidae: Pterodectinae) is described from the Large Niltava Niltava grandis (Blyth) (Passeriformes, Muscicapidae) in northeast India (Meghalaya, Jaintia Hills, Shnongrim village). Proterothrix chachulae Constantinescu, sp. n. differs from all known species of the genus by having in males the aedeagus with bilobate tip. The morphological description is supplemented with molecular characterisation of a fragment f near the 5` terminus of the mitochondrial COI gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe three new species of forest robin in the genusStiphrornis; two from West Africa and one from the Congo Basin. Each species represents a distinct phylogenetic lineage based on genetic analysis. In addition to genetic differentiation, each new species is diagnosable from otherStiphrornislineages by morphology, and by plumage. One of the new species appears to be restricted to the Central and Brong-Ahafo Regions of Ghana, and another is restricted to Benin and the Central Region of Ghana. In Ghana, these two new species presumably come into contact withStiphrornis erythrothorax(Western Region of Ghana and westward), and there is evidence that one of the new species has a distinguishably different song fromerythrothorax. The distribution of the third new species is primarily on the south bank of the Congo River, near the city of Kisangani. Recognition of these species provides additional evidence that Afrotropical forests are harbouring substantial cryptic diversity, and that our knowledge of the drivers of this diversity remains poorly documented across the region. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BF2A0BE6-1140-4EFF-9035-380D61AB03AE [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes two new species of feather mites collected from the blue-throated blue flycatcherCyornis rubeculoides(Vigors) (Passeriformes: Muscicapidae) in India (Meghalaya):Trouessartia kharkhanensisConstantinescu et al. sp. nov. (Trouessartiidae) andProterothrix cyornissimilisConstantinescu et al. sp. nov. (Proctophyllodidae: Pterodectinae). Both sexes ofT. kharkhanensisdiffer from the closest species,T. rubeculaJablonska, 1968 by having setaesiandc2lanceolate and setaec3andsRIII with acute apex. In males of the new species, the adanal apodemes have a hook-like retroverse apophysis and the internal margins of terminal lamellae have a shallow invagination at the level of setaeh3. Both sexes ofP. cyornissimilisdiffer from the closest species,P. cyornisMironov and Tolstenkov, 2013, mainly by the ornamentation of the dorsal shields: it is absent on the prodorsal shield and poorly expressed on the hysteronothal shield. In males of the new species, the supranal concavity is triangular and the genital arch has a pair of small ovoid sclerites at its tips. http:/zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1671D6D4-8895-467B-A124-05EDBB0DF406 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Rufous-headed Robin Larvivora ruficeps is one of the world's rarest and least known birds. We summarize the known records since it was first described in 1905 from Shaanxi Province, central China. All subsequent Chinese records are from seven adjacent localities in nearby Sichuan Province. We studied its phylogenetic position for the first time using mitochondrial and nuclear markers for all species of Larvivora and a broad selection of other species in the family Muscicapidae. Our results confirmed that L. ruficeps is appropriately placed in the genus Larvivora, and suggested that it is sister to the Rufous-tailed Robin Larvivora sibilans, with these two forming a sister clade to a clade comprising both the Japanese Robin Larvivora akahige and Ryukyu Robin Larvivora komadori. Siberian Blue Robin Larvivora cyane and Indian Blue Robin Larvivora brunnea form the sister clade to the other Larvivora species. In contrast, song analyses indicated that the song of L. ruficeps is most similar to that of L. komadori, whereas the song of L. sibilans is relatively more similar to that of L. akahige, and songs of L. cyane and L. brunnea closely resemble each other. We used ecological niche modelling to estimate the suitable habitats of L. ruficeps based on the records from breeding grounds, suggesting that north and central Sichuan, south Gansu, south Shaanxi and south-east Tibet are likely to contain the most suitable habitats for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first survey on prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in a poorly studied migratory passerine, the semi-collared flycatcher ( Ficedula semitorquata ). In total, 110 individuals were sampled during two breeding seasons in Eastern Bulgaria. We collected both blood samples for PCR identification and blood films for microscopic identification of haemosporidians. We found six distinctive parasite cyt b lineages present in the blood of the semi-collared flycatcher (three Haemoproteus and three Plasmodium ). Two of the lineages, i.e. pWW3 of Plasmodium sp. and hCCF2 of Haemoproteus sp., are recorded for the first time in the family Muscicapidae. The overall prevalence ranged between 12.2 and 15.9% and we did not find co-infections. We hypothesize that the low prevalence of haemosporidians in this species might be linked to its small population size and relatively restricted geographical range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]