Geographically widespread mitochondrial lineages of the African saw-wings inconsistent with species boundaries

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“…Almost the entire plumage of adult nominate nitens is, as described in the literature (e.g. Bannerman 1939, Turner & Rose 1989, Urban & Keith 1992, Turner 2004, dark brown to blackish, washed with a dull, dark oily green gloss. The exceptions are the lores which, from the bill base to the leading rim of the orbit and extending a little way both above and below the eye, are matt black, and the chin and throat, which are unglossed greyish brown and hence somewhat paler than the rest of the plumage (Figs.…”

“…Such an assessment of centralis is, in fact, inaccurate in two important respects, a consequence, at least in part, of ignorance or oversight of earlier literature not in English. This paper seeks to highlight and correct these misapprehensions and to reassess the status of centralis, informed by the results of the molecular study by Barrow et al (2016) and prompted by the outcome of a brief comparison of plumages by M. S. L. Mills and C. Cohen (pers. comm.…”

“…Material from this part of DR Congo had previously been attributed by Schouteden (1961) to centralis. The second sample was said by Barrow et al (2016) to have been collected at 'Kilungu', apparently an error for Kiliungu (03°07'S, 28°14'E), Kivu (now Sud-Kivu) Province, from where Prigogine (1984) reported a specimen of centralis. The catalogue number / sample reference of this specimen was given by Barrow et al (2016) in their Table S1 as 77-44-A-18 while in their Figs.…”

“…Further genetic study is clearly required to resolve the relationship between the lineages of nitens sensu lato and this needs to include samples from Lower Guinea: the provenance of the nitens specimens sampled by Barrow et al (2016)-Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire-means that populations from east of the Dahomey Gap have yet to be analysed. The possibility therefore remains that these could prove to be closer genetically to DR Congo material, Bull.…”

Square-tailed Saw-wing Psalidoprocne nitens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: identity and taxonomic status

“…ISSN-2513-9894 (Online) Schouteden (1955) showed centralis from two localities in Tshuapa (simplified from nine listed sites, all in close proximity) and was perhaps the source of the records shown by Hall & Moreau (1970). One consequence of these misrepresentations of distribution in the current literature can be seen in the work of Barrow et al (2016). Their genetic study of the genus Psalidoprocne included samples from four specimens of nitens sensu lato, one each from Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia and two from DR Congo.…”