Proposal (531) to South American Classification Committee

Revise linear sequence of species in Pionus

Effect on SACC: All this does is make a slight change in linear sequence of species in Pionus.

Background: Our current sequence is a traditional one for which I do not know if there is an explicit rationale.

New information: Ribas et al.’s (2007) phylogeny based on ca. 2200 bp of mtDNA (cyt b, NAD2) produced a phylogeny with many well-supported nodes, at least among the traditionally defined species; they also includes many additional subspecies (which they treat as PSC species):

Their summary tree is best seen in this Figure:

Translating the tree into a linear sequence involves, obviously, the usual arbitrary conventions. I suggest that the sequence start with the oldest lineage, fuscus, and which is sister to sordidus + maximiliani (sequence N to S). Then, in the second group, tumultuosus is sister to menstruus + (senilis + chalcopterus) (sequence N to S).

Thus a sequence that reflects the phylogeny is:

fuscus
sordidus
maximiliani
tumultuosus
menstruus
senilis
chalcopterus

Literature Cited:

RIBAS, C. C., R. G. MOYLE, C. Y. MIYAKI, AND J. CRACRAFT. 2007. The assembly of montane biotas: linking Andean tectonics and climate oscillations to independent regimes of diversification in Pionus parrots. Proceedings Royal Society B 274: 2399-2408.

Van Remsen, June 2012

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Comments from Stiles: “YES. The change is relatively minor, and fits best with the phylogeny, which seems well supported.”

Comments from Pacheco: “YES. The proposed sequence appears to correspond well to the results of Ribas and colleagues.”

Comments from Zimmer: “YES”. The proposed sequence better fits the phylogeny of Ribas et al. (2007).

Comments from Nores: “YES, the sequence better fits the phylogeny of Ribas et al. (2007), which seems well supported.”