Reassessment of the systematics of the widespread Neotropical genusCercomacra(Aves: Thamnophilidae)

Abstract

A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the family Thamnophilidae indicated that the widespread neotropical genus Cercomacra Sclater, 1858 is polyphyletic. Two non‐sister clades in putative Cercomacra were uncovered: (1) the ‘nigricans’ clade (Cercomacra sensu stricto), formed by manu, brasiliana, cinerascens, melanaria, ferdinandi, carbonaria, and nigricans; and (2) the ‘tyrannina’ clade formed by nigrescens, laeta, parkeri, tyrannina, and serva. Sciaphylax was sister to the ‘tyrannina’ clade and this group was sister to a clade formed by Drymophila and Hypocnemis. This whole major clade then was sister to Cercomacra sensu stricto. Further work is needed to resolve the phylogenetic placement of brasiliana and cinerascens within Cercomacra, and the relationships within the ‘tyrannina’ clade. Because the group of species referred to as the ‘tyrannina’ clade does not have an available name, we erect a new genus that recognizes the monophyly and distinct nature of this group. A molecular time scale for the evolution within Cercomacra sensu lato is proposed. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London

The role of ecological niche evolution on diversification patterns of birds distinctly distributed between the Amazonia and Atlantic rainforests

“…Our results represent one of the few examples where niche divergence can occur under the such short evolutionary time. One primary mechanism is the lack of gene flow between the populations-supported by phylogeographic studies [75][76][77][78][79] and further inferred by our ecological niche models-that prevent swamping adaptations to the climatic regime characteristics of each forest [26,80]. Indeed, Atlantic Forest presents more climatic variation and lower temperatures and a smaller volume of precipitation than Amazon [5].…”

Remarks on the name Cercomacra Sclater, 1858 (Aves: Thamnophilidae) and its type species

“…A recent molecular phylogeny of Cercomacra Sclater, 1858 found the genus to be polyphyletic (Tello et al 2014). Two non-sister clades in putative Cercomacra were uncovered: Cercomacra sensu stricto, including Cercomacra manu Fitzpatrick & Willard, 1990, C. brasiliana Hellmayr, 1905 (Sclater, 1857), C. melanaria (Ménétries, 1835), C. ferdinandi Snethlage, 1928, C. carbonaria Sclater & Salvin, 1873and C. nigricans Sclater, 1858and Cercomacroides Tello & Raposo, 2014, including Cercomacroides nigrescens (Cabanis & Heine, 1859), C. laeta (Todd, 1920), C. parkeri (Graves, 1997), C. tyrannina (Sclater, 1855) and C. serva (Sclater, 1858).…”

Taxonomy of Trogon rufus (Gmelin, 1788) and Amazonian ring-shaped clinal variation

“…In contrast, the current paradigm present in most modern taxonomic reviews (morphological, vocal and/or genetic (Thom and Aleixo, 2014;Tello et al, 2014;Carneiro, 2009;Aleixo, 2004)) has been the river barriers hypothesis 4 , which has led to the identication of various Amazonian Centres of Endemism (Cracraft, 1985) whose limits are dened by the major rivers. This has led taxonomists to search a priori for dierences between populations from dierent interuvia.…”

“…This has led taxonomists to search a priori for dierences between populations from dierent interuvia. Almost all such reviews, especially molecular-based, have neglected to investigate the function of geographic distance as an underlying explanatory mechanism for genetic dierences between dierent populations (Thom and Aleixo, 2014;Tello et al, 2014;Carneiro, 2009;Aleixo, 2004). This gives a grave risk of taxonomic ination, especially when incomplete geographic sampling is involved, as is so often the case, as divergence will inevitably be found between dierent sectors of the population simply as a result of isolation by distance.…”