Taxonomic status of grey-headed Yellow Wagtails breeding in western China

查看全文 作　　者：Alexander [1]Hellquist;Fredrik [8]Friberg;Petter [9]Haldén;Peter [10]Schmidt;Ming [2]Ma;Gou [3]Jun;Urban [4,5]Olsson;Per [6,7]Alström 机构地区：[1]Fatburs kvarngata 17,11864 Stockholm,Sweden;[2]Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography,Chinese Academy of Sciences,No.818 Beijing Road,Urumqi 830011,Xinjiang,China;[3]Xinjiang Birdwatching Society,311 Nongda East Road,Urumqi 830091,Xinjiang,China;[4]Systematics and Bio-diversity,Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences,University of Gothenburg,Göteborg,Sweden;[5]Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre,Gothenburg,Sweden;[6]Animal Ecology,Department of Ecology and Genetics,Evolutionary Biology Centre,Uppsala University,Norbyvägen 18D,75236 Uppsala,Sweden;[7]Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution,Institute of Zoology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China;[8]Edeby 9,74191 Knivsta,Sweden;[9]Lenabergsvägen 33,74392 Vattholma,Sweden;[10]Tallmovägen 9,75645 Uppsala,Sweden 出　　处：《Avian Research》索引2021年第12卷第4期,共10页 基　　金：support from Jornvall Foundation and the Swedish Research Council(grant No.2015-04402)。 摘　　要：Background:Field studies from 2011 onwards have demonstrated the presence of a breeding population of Yellow Wagtails(Motacilla flava)in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China that is phenotypically distinct from known subspecies occurring in Asia.Here we describe the plumages and vocalisations of this population and discuss its taxonomic status.Methods:The analysis of plumage is based on field studies and photos available online.Recordings of vocalisations are compared with recordings from other Yellow Wagtail populations,and differences are analysed based on sonograms.Mitochondrial DNA from one individual is compared to other Yellow Wagtail taxa.Results:Unlike M.flava subspecies breeding in or near Xinjiang,males in the studied population show a blue-grey head without prominent white supercilium,being most similar to the widely disjunct M.f.cinereocapilla.They differ from the similarly widely allopatric M.f.thunbergi,which might occur as a migrant or vagrant in Xinjiang,by on average cleaner yellow breast and more extensive white on the throat,and from the widely disjunct M.f.plexa and M.f.macronyx,which might also occur on migration in that area,by softer contact calls and slower pace of song.Females are similar to female M.f.feldegg in plumage.The mitochondrial ND2 tree shows the single sample from Xinjiang to be nested in the clade of western Yellow Wagtail taxa.Conclusion:We discuss whether the Xinjiang breeding population could represent an intergrade between subspecies breeding nearby,or whether it is better regarded as a separate as yet unrecognized subspecies.We argue that the localization of its apparent range in relation to other subspecies along with fairly consistent male and female plumages suggest that it is more likely to represent an undescribed taxon,but conclude that more research is needed to firmly establish its status. 关 键 词：BIOACOUSTICS Mitochondrial DNA Morphology Motacilla flava SYSTEMATICS Undescribed populations