Extensive color polymorphism in the southeast Asian oriental dwarf kingfisher Ceyx erithaca: a result of gene flow during population divergence?

Abstract

Extensive plumage color polymorphism in the oriental dwarf kingfisher Ceyx erithaca has long intrigued ornithologists of the Indo–Malayan region. A large proportion of birds in Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo have plumages intermediate between the northerly black form and the southerly rufous form. We used molecular genetic techniques to investigate whether the pattern is likely caused by selection, contemporary hybridization or past introgression of genes. These data consist of DNA sequences of a mitochondrial gene (ND2) and five nuclear intronic loci. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that birds from continental southeast Asia (excluding the Thai–Malay Peninsula) are well differentiated from those from insular southeast Asia. This genetic distinction correlates well with a fixed difference in mantle coloration. Northern birds have black mantles and are consistently dark; southern birds, though highly variable in parts of the plumage, consistently possess a rusty brown mantle. Multivariate analyses of morphometric data also support clustering birds in the two groups defined by mantle coloration. Coalescent analyses suggest that gene flow occurred after initial population splitting. We hypothesized that the dynamic geography of the Indo–Malayan Archipelago, as driven by eustatic sea‐level changes related to glacial cycles, is responsible for extensive secondary contact, and gene flow, between the two color forms. Such periodic contacts, after initial separation of the populations, may be equally common in other geographically dynamic regions of the world.

Multilocus analysis of the evolutionary dynamics of rainforest bird populations in Southeast Asia

“…1991; Hansson et al. 2008), they are comparable with those obtained for other tropical or subtropical species (100 000–500 000) (Jennings & Edwards 2005; Lim et al. 2010a).…”

Revisiting Wallace's Haunt: Coalescent Simulations and Comparative Niche Modeling Reveal Historical Mechanisms That Promoted Avian Population Divergence in the Malay Archipelago

“…Further, of these 11 species, five have at least one large (>10%) interpopulation π net value, further suggesting ancient (possibly pre-Pleistocene) divergence and long-term persistence. Our findings thus add to the small but growing body of literature suggesting that substantial complexity underlies population genetic structure in this region (Brandon-Jones 1998;Gathorne-Hardy et al 2002;Campbell et al 2004;Moyle et al 2005;Sheldon et al 2009b;Lim et al 2010). The distinctive difference in some species between populations in NEB and WB is particularly remarkable because these are currently connected by appropriate lowland habitats.…”

Phylogeography of vertebrates on the Sunda Shelf: a multi‐species comparison

“…We were able to obtain data from Javan populations for eight taxa. In two cases the Javan population was most closely related to the neighbouring island of Sumatra (the rodent Maxomys surifer and the carnivoran Paradoxurus hermaphroditus ), whereas the relationships among the Sumatran, Javan and Bornean populations of the macaque (Tosi & Coke, ) and the kingfisher (Lim et al ., ) were unresolved. In the other four cases (all birds), the Java populations were very divergent to Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo ( Megalaima australis , Enicurus leschenaulti, Arachnothera longirostra and Pteruthius flaviscapis ).…”