The enigmatic monotypic crab plover Dromas ardeola is closely related to pratincoles and coursers (Aves, Charadriiformes, Glareolidae)

Abstract

The phylogenetic placement of the monotypic crab plover Dromasardeola (Aves, Charadriiformes) remains controversial. Phylogenetic analysis of anatomical and behavioral traits using phenetic and cladistic methods of tree inference have resulted in conflicting tree topologies, suggesting a close association of Dromas to members of different suborders and lineages within Charadriiformes. Here, we revisited the issue by applying Bayesian and parsimony methods of tree inference to 2,012 anatomical and 5,183 molecular characters to a set of 22 shorebird genera (including Turnix). Our results suggest that Bayesian analysis of anatomical characters does not resolve the phylogenetic relationship of shorebirds with strong statistical support. In contrast, Bayesian and parsimony tree inference from molecular data provided much stronger support for the phylogenetic relationships within shorebirds, and support a sister relationship of Dromas to Glareolidae (pratincoles and coursers), in agreement with previously published DNA-DNA hybridization studies.

Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: eighth report

“…Molecular studies and one morphological study placed Crab Plover ( Dromas ) in Lari (Hackett et al . , Pereira & Baker , Mayr ), whereas another morphological study placed it as the sister‐group of the oystercatchers (Livezey ).…”

“…Most studies also support the placement of Glareolidae in the Lari clade (Ericson et al 2003, Paton et al 2003, Paton & Baker 2006, Baker et al 2007, Fain & Houde 2007, Mayr 2011, but see Livezey 2010. Molecular studies and one morphological study placed Crab Plover (Dromas) in Lari (Hackett et al 2008, Pereira & Baker 2010, Mayr 2011, whereas another morphological study placed it as the sister-group of the oystercatchers (Livezey 2010).…”

The “Very Thankless Task”: Revision of Lunaceps Clay and Meinertzhagen, 1939 (Insecta: Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae), with descriptions of six new species and one new subspecies

“…Both Dromas and Haematopus would be atypical hosts for Lunaceps, as Haematopus appears to be more closely related to avocets and stilts (e.g., Paton et al, 2003;Thomas et al, 2004b;Fain and Houde, 2007), and Dromas more closely related to gulls and terns (Thomas et al, 2004a) or pratincoles and coursers (Pereira and Baker, 2010). It is possible that some populations of Dromas and/or Haematopus are hosts to Lunaceps.…”

Comprehensive taxon sampling and vetted fossils help clarify the time tree of shorebirds (Aves, Charadriiformes)

“…The monotypic crab plover (Dromas ardeola) was not represented in the early molecular phylogenetic studies on charadriiforms (Paton et al, 2003;Paton and Baker, 2006;Baker et al, 2007;Fain and Houde, 2007), and larger phylogenomic studies that did include it failed to sample shorebirds densely enough to unambiguously resolve its position within the order (Hackett et al, 2008;Reddy et al, 2017). Recent molecular evidence indicates a sister-group relationship of Dromas to the coursers and pratincoles (Glareolidae), albeit with varying degrees of support (Pereira and Baker, 2010;Burleigh et al, 2015;De Pietri et al, 2020; see also the supertree of Kimball et al, 2019).…”