An alternative species taxonomy of the birds of Mexico

Abstract

Extensive debate has surrounded the application of alternative species concepts in Ornithology. The biological species concept (BSC) and phylogenetic species concept (PSC) have typically been set in opposition, with extensive debate on the relative merits of each. An alternative is the evolutionary species concept (ESC), which offers a perspective similar to that of the PSC, yet with several significant differences. To date, no major avifauna has been examined and compared among taxonomic viewpoints. Herein, we develop an alternative phylogenetic/evolutionary species taxonomy to the current BSC treatment for the more than 1000 bird species of Mexico. A total of 135 biological species was divided to produce a total of 323 phylogenetic/evolutionary species, 122 of which represent "new" endemic forms in Mexico. Key words: Species concepts, avifauna, Mexico ResumenGran debate ha rodeado la aplicación de conceptos de especie alternativos en la Ornitología. El concepto biológico de especie (CBE) y el concepto filogenético de especie (CFE) han estado típicamente en contraposición, existiendo mucha discusión acerca de las ventajas relativas de cada uno. Una alternativa es el concepto evolutivo de especie (CEE), que ofrece una perspectiva similar a la del CFE, aunque con algunas diferencias importantes. A la fecha, no se ha examinado y comparado alguna avifauna regional desde el punto de vista del CBE y de los conceptos alternativos. En este trabajo desarrollamos una taxonomía alternativa a la existente en la actualidad bajo el CBE para las más de 1000 especies de aves de México. Un total de 135 especies biológicas fue dividido hasta producir un total de 323 especies filogenético/evolutivas, 122 de las cuales son "nuevas" formas endémicas al país. Mayr and Short 1970;AOU 1983AOU , 1998, alternative species concepts have been introduced to avian taxonomy only relatively recently (Cracraft 1983). Specifically, the phylogenetic species concept (PSC) was introduced to ornithology in a series of controversial papers (Cracraft 1983, McKitrick and Zink 1988, Zink and McKitrick 1995, sparking acrimonious discussion and debate (e.g. Amadon and Short 1992). In contrast to the BSC's emphasis on reproductive isolation, the PSC identifies as species taxa those populations that are monophyletic lineages made diagnosable by the presence of unique characters or character combinations. PalabrasAn alternative concept that has been all but ignored in ornithology (see Prum 1994) is the evolutionary species concept (ESC). Originally proposed by Simpson (1961), this concept was revisited by Wiley (1978), and discussed in detail in more recent contributions (Wiley and Mayden 2000). The ESC focuses on broad issues of theoretical importance: lineage independence, "identity," and evolutionary tendencies. These issues relate to those on which the BSC and PSC focus-lineage independence refers loosely to reproductive isolation, and identity to diagnosability. Evolutionary tendencies focus on the true Grail of an understanding of species-a...

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