Proposal (554) to South American Classification Committee

 

Change linear sequence in Coeligena

 

Effect on SACC:  This proposal would rearrange the species sequence in Coeligena to reflect new phylogenetic data.

 

Background & new information:

 

Our current sequence is:

 

Coeligena coeligena Bronzy Inca
Coeligena wilsoni Brown Inca
Coeligena prunellei Black Inca
Coeligena torquata Collared Inca
Coeligena phalerata White-tailed Starfrontlet
Coeligena orina Dusky Starfrontlet
Coeligena bonapartei Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Coeligena helianthea Blue-throated Starfrontlet
Coeligena lutetiae Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Coeligena violifer Violet-throated Starfrontlet
Coeligena iris Rainbow Starfrontlet

Our current footnote explains the situation:

 

53d. Coeligena lutetiae and C. violifer were considered to form a superspecies by Parker et al. (1985); Schuchmann (1999) also proposed that C. bonapartei and C. helianthea should also be included in this superspecies. The latter two species may interbreed to an uncertain extent (Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990).  Parra et al. (2009) found that C. lutetiae and C. violifer were not sister species and that the former is the sister taxon to a group related as follows: C. iris + (C. phalerata + ((C. orina + (((C. lutetiae +((((C. helianthea + C. bonapartei)))))).  SACC proposal needed to change linear sequence.

 

 

Here is a summary tree from Parra et al. (2009):

 

 

To convert this well-supported phylogeny to a linear sequence using standard conventions, the sequence looks like this, with changes highlighted:

 

Coeligena coeligena Bronzy Inca
Coeligena wilsoni Brown Inca
Coeligena prunellei Black Inca
Coeligena torquata Collared Inca
Coeligena violifer Violet-throated Starfrontlet
Coeligena iris Rainbow Starfrontlet
Coeligena phalerata White-tailed Starfrontlet
Coeligena orina Dusky Starfrontlet
Coeligena lutetiae Buff-winged Starfrontlet
Coeligena bonapartei Golden-bellied Starfrontlet
Coeligena helianthea Blue-throated Starfrontlet

 

Recommendation:  This is basically a minor bookkeeping item to make sure our linear sequences correspond to the latest phylogenetic data.  I recommend a YES on this. 

 

Literature:

PARRA, J. L., J. V. REMSEN, JR., M. ALVAREZ-REBOLLEDO, AND J. A. MCGUIRE.  2009.  Molecular phylogenetics of the hummingbird genus Coeligena.  Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution 53: 425–434.

 

 

Van Remsen, October 2012

 

 

 

Comments from Nores: “YES. This is a good example of how to convert a phylogeny to a linear sequence using standard conventions.”