DOI: 10.3897/vz.76.e182505

Authors: Gerald Mayr

Abstract: Abstract A diverse array of early Eocene zygodactyl birds has been assigned to the Psittacopasseres, the clade including parrots and passerines, but the exact affinities of the fossils are controversially resolved. Here, new analyses are performed based on a revised character matrix. Concerning critical taxa, the results of the primary analysis and that of the analyses constrained to a molecular backbone phylogeny show disparate tree topologies, and probably none correctly reflects the true interrelationships of the fossil taxa. The new taxon Psittacomimidae fam. nov. is introduced for a clade formed by the taxa Psittacomimus and Parapsittacopes, which were before assigned to the Psittacopedidae. The Psittacomimidae fam. nov. are likely to be the sister taxon of the Parapasseres, that is, the clade formed by the Zygodactylidae and Passeriformes, with the Morsoravidae branching next. A clade formed by all or most Halcyornithidae and the Messelasturidae is termed Messelasturiformes. A derived morphology of the proximal tarsometatarsus is reported, which may support a clade including the Vastanavidae and Messelasturiformes. However, although psittacopasserine affinities of the Vastanavidae conform to the overall osteology of these birds, the higher-level affinities of the Messelasturiformes are more elusive.

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DOI: 10.3897/vz.76.e171834

Authors: Vagner Cavarzere, Enrico L. Breviglieri, Luís F. Silveira

Abstract: The genus Cercomacra includes six species, among them C. cinerascens, which is widespread throughout the Amazon Basin. Historically, six names have been proposed for this species complex, but only four are currently recognized. Past studies have explored relationships among Cercomacra species using either morphological or molecular data, with taxonomic assessments mainly conducted in the early 20th century. To reevaluate the validity of the currently accepted C. cinerascens taxa, we performed a comprehensive taxonomic revision that combined traditional morphological and vocal analyses. Additionally, we used BirdNET, a pre-trained deep learning algorithm developed for bird sound classification. We examined 682 specimens and 347 recordings and identified two distinct morphotypes distributed north and south of the Amazon Basin, along with four recognizable loudsong types. Using both morphological and vocal features, we identified five distinct lineages, two of which are newly described and named. Cercomacra cinerascens occurs north of the Pastaza and Amazon Rivers in northern Amazonia; C. sclateri is found in eastern Ecuador and Peru, south of the Pastaza River and east of the Andes, east to the Ucayali River; and C. iterata stat. nov. is located east of the Tapajos River. The two newly described species are found south of the Amazon and Marañon Rivers. Cercomacra mura sp. nov. occupies the Ucayali-Madeira interfluve, and Cercomacra raucisona sp. nov. inhabits the Madeira-Tapajos interfluve.

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DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e112446

Authors: Vagner Cavarzere, Luís F. Silveira

Abstract: Abstract Cercomacroides serva is widely distributed in northern South America. However, this species has never been thoroughly evaluated taxonomically. We conducted a taxonomic study of three taxa currently classified under Cercomacroides serva, based on a study of 307 skins and 145 recordings of male loudsongs. Females from the northwest Amazonian population differ qualitatively from populations from the southwest Amazon in the coloration of the upperparts, primary, and tail. Male loudsongs are superficially similar between these two populations, but the shape of the notes differs significantly. There is no evidence of intergradation or clinal variation in female plumage or male loudsongs. Based on differences in plumage coloration, loudsongs, and lack of evidence of intergradation, we suggest that two species are best recognized. The name Cercomacroides serva is here restricted to populations north of the Marañon River in Peru, to the north in Ecuador, and in southwestern Colombia. The name Cercomacroides hypomelaena comb. nov. is revived. This species is found south of the Marañon River, and on both banks of the Ucayali River in Peru, to the eastern left bank of the Madeira River in Brazil, and in northern Bolivia.

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DOI: 10.3897/vz.71.e65952

Authors: Martin Päckert, Jens Hering, Abdelkrim Ait Belkacem, Yue-Hua Sun, Sabine Hille, Davaa Lkhagvasuren, Safiqul Islam, Jochen Martens

Abstract: Abstract The Old World sparrows include some of the best-studied passerine species, such as the cosmopolitan human commensal, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) as well as poorly studied narrow-range endemics like the Iago sparrow (P. iagoensis) from the Cape Verde Archipelago or specialists from extreme environments like the desert sparrow (P. simplex). It is therefore notable that to date the most complete phylogenetic hypothesis for the Old World sparrows comprised only ten of 43 currently accepted species. With this study we provide an updated phylogeny of Passeridae covering about two third of the family’s species richness. Though still being far from taxon-complete, this new phylogenetic hypothesis provides firm evidence to clarify some open taxonomic questions. All genus-level taxa were reciprocally monophyletic with strong support. Contrary to previous classifications, bush sparrows and rock sparrows were not sister taxa, and therefore their classification in separate genera Gymnoris and Petronia is justified. Plumage color traits like the yellow throat patch of the latter two genera or head color pattern in Passer species do not provide reliable phylogenetic information, except for the large-sized African grey-headed sparrows that resulted as a monophyletic group (P. diffusus, P. griseus, P. gongoensis). Unexpectedly, two small-sized species, P. eminibey and P. luteus that to date are regarded as close relatives were firmly nested in two separate clades of Passer sparrows. Therefore, their separate generic treatment under Sorella eminibey and Auripasser luteus (together with A. euchlorus) does not seem justified.

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