Proposal (661) to South American Classification Committee

Revise the linear sequence of Vireonidae

Effect on SACC:

This proposal revises the linear sequence of Vireonidae to reflect the molecular phylogeny of Slager et al. (2014).

Background:

Vireonidae is a rather morphologically conserved family that has received relatively little phylogenetic attention over the years.

SACC Vireonidae footnote 13a reads as follows:

13a. Hylophilus flavipes and H. olivaceus were considered to form a superspecies by AOU (1983) and Sibley & Monroe (1990) because they were considered conspecific by Zimmer (1942b). Slager et al. (2014), however, found that they are not sister species: H. olivaceus and H. pectoralis are sisters, and H. flavipes and H. semicinereus are sisters. SACC proposal needed to modify linear sequence.

New Information:

Slager et al. (2014) produced a phylogeny of Vireonidae using mitochondrial (ND2) and nuclear (3 Z-linked loci) data that included 221 samples representing 46/52 currently recognized vireonid species.

Concurrently submitted SACC proposals address splitting the genus Hylophilus. This proposal deals only with the linear sequence.

Analysis:

The multilocus and ND2 trees in Slager et al. (2014) provide many new insights on relationships within Vireonidae.

Gene tree conflict occurs at the deepest nodes in Slager et al. (2014). Three Z-linked nuclear loci, concatenated mtDNA + nuclear loci, and species tree analyses of 4 loci place Cyclarhis sister to "scrub" Hylophilus, which are in turn sister to (Vireolanius + the rest of Vireonidae). However, analyzing mitochondrial ND2 sequences alone places Cyclarhis sister to the rest of Vireonidae. This proposal uses the former topology since it is the one best supported by multiple loci.

Translating the tree of Slager et al. (2014) into a linear sequence (using their multilocus concatenated/species tree topology for the deeper nodes and their ND2 tree for shallower nodes) yields the following (with extralimital taxa in gray):

Cyclarhis gujanensis
Cyclarhis nigrirostris

Hylophilus amaurocephalus *

Hylophilus poicilotis

Hylophilus olivaceus

Hylophilus pectoralis

Hylophilus flavipes

Hylophilus semicinereus

Hylophilus brunneiceps

Hylophilus thoracicus

Vireolanius melitophrys

Vireolanius pulchellus

Vireolanius eximius

Vireolanius leucotis

Tunchiornis ochraceiceps

Pachysylvia decurtata

Pachysylvia hypoxantha

Pachysylvia muscicapina

Pachysylvia aurantiifrons

Pachysylvia semibrunnea

Vireo hypochryseus

(following AOU, mostly, because of lack of structure)

Vireo osburni

Vireo brevipennis

Vireo atricapilla

Vireo nelsoni *

Vireo griseus

Vireo crassirostris

Vireo pallens

Vireo bairdi

Vireo caribaeus *

Vireo modestus

Vireo gundlachi *

Vireo latimeri

Vireo nanus

Vireo bellii

Vireo vicinior

Vireo huttoni

Vireo flavifrons

Vireo carmioli

Vireo masteri *

Vireo cassinii

Vireo solitarius

Vireo plumbeus

Vireo sclateri

Vireo philadelphicus

Vireo gilvus

Vireo leucophrys

Vireo olivaceus (ignoring species limits problems)

Vireo gracilirostris *

Vireo flavoviridis

Vireo altiloquus

Vireo magister

Pachysylvia and Tunchiornis are new names, and Vireo sclateri is a new combination, pending other current SACC proposals. Also, note that SACC proposal 658 proposes to transfer the species in Vireo from sclateri through altiloquus to Vireosylva.

* unsampled

Recommendation:

I recommend a YES vote. Although Slager et al. (2014) does not resolve every last node, the proposed linear sequence reflects the current state of knowledge much better than the existing linear sequence.

Literature Cited:

Slager, D.L., Battey, C.J., Bryson, R.W. Jr., Voelker, G., & Klicka J. (2014) A multilocus phylogeny of a major New World avian radiation: The Vireonidae. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 80, 95-104.

Dave Slager, December 2014 (with input from Remsen)

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Comments from Nores: “NO. In the phylogeny of Vireonidae (Slager et al. 2014), the taxon that splits first is Cyclarhis and must be placed at the top of the sequence. Then, splits the clade containing Vireolanius of which leucotis splits first and must be placed in that order. Then splits the clade containing several species of scrub-dwelling Hylophilus and finally, the clades containing Hylophilus ochraceiceps, “canopy” Hylophilus, Vireo and Hylophilus sclateri. In my opinion Hylophilus ochraceiceps, “canopy” Hylophilus and Hylophilus sclateri could be included within Vireo, the linear sequence would be as follows”:

Cyclarhis gujanensis

Cyclarhis nigrirostris

Vireolanius leucotis

Vireolanius eximius

Hylophilus amaurocephalus

Hylophilus poicilotis

Hylophilus olivaceus

Hylophilus pectoralis

Hylophilus flavipes

Hylophilus semicinereus

Hylophilus brunneiceps

Hylophilus thoracicus

Vireo ochraceiceps

Vireo decurtatus

Vireo hypoxanthus

Vireo muscicapinus

Vireo aurantiifrons

Vireo semibrunneus

Vireo flavifrons

Vireo masteri

Vireo sclateri

Vireo philadelphicus

Vireo leucophrys

Vireo olivaceus

Vireo gracilirostris

Vireo flavoviridis

Vireo altiloquus

Comments from Stiles: “YES, with the minor tweak suggested by Manuel. However, I do think that it would be important to sequence V. masteri in particular (see my comment on prop. 658).”

Comments from Jaramillo: “YES - I see no problems with the new proposed linear order, some fine-tuning on the species level stuff is of course necessary.”

Additional comments from Remsen: “Concerning Manuel’s objection to the proposed sequence, see the second paragraph under Analysis above.”

Comments from Pacheco: “YES. I choose the exact sequence in Slater's proposal, considering the comments of Remsen.”