Proposal (#279)
to South American Classification Committee
Merge Nandayus into
Aratinga
Effect on SACC: This would merge monotypic Nandayus into Aratinga.
Background & New information: A close relationship between monotypic Nandayus and the genus Aratinga has been longed recognized and is reflected in our current classification by their adjacent placement in the linear sequence. In fact, Collar (1997) stated that "some" authors have merged Nandayus into Aratinga (but I haven't tracked down which ones). With respect to Nandayus, Forshaw (2006) stated: "similar to Aratinga conures, but the only green conure with black face."
Tavares et al. (2006) [let me know if you need a pdf] studied the relationships among 25 of the 30 genera of Neotropical parrots using an impressive sample of genes and base pairs (6388 bps, 7 genes, nuclear and mitochondrial). They found strong (100% Bayesian support) for a sister relationship between Nandayus and Aratinga solstitalis; however, limited taxon-sampling (only two other Aratinga species) makes this relationship uninteresting except that the other two Aratinga (leucophthalmus and aurea) are in a separate group, to the exclusion of Nandayus + solstitialis + Ara and other macaw genera. Bayesian support for that node is good (96%), but much of the rest of the branching pattern collapses if one excludes nodes with less than 95% Bayesian support or less than 70% ML bootstrap values. The authors did not make an explicit case for merger of Nandayus into Aratinga.
Analysis and Recommendation:
References:
TAVARES, E. S., A. J. BAKER, S. L. PEREIRA, AND C. Y. MIYAKI. 2006. Phylogenetic relationships and historical biogeography of Neotropical parrots (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae: Arini) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA Sequences. Systematic Biology 55: 454470.
Van Remsen, May 2007
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