Molecular phylogenetics of Doraditos (Aves, Pseudocolopteryx): evolution of cryptic species, vocal and mechanical sounds

JORDAN EA; BENITEZ SALDIVAR MJ; TELLO J; ARETA JI

ZOOLOGICA SCRIPTA

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2021 vol. 50 p. 173 - 192

0300-3256

While bird vocalizations (produced by the syrinx) have been the focus of countless studies,mechanical sounds (produced by external body structures) have received much less attention. Inparticular, the evolutionary interplay between these two modes of acoustic communicationremains largely unstudied. Here we present the first species-level molecular phylogeny of thedoraditos (Pseudocolopteryx), reconstruct the evolutionary history of acoustic vocal and non-vocalcharacters, elucidate their relationship to feather modifications and aerial displays, and explorethe influence of acoustics in the speciation of cryptic species. Our well resolved phylogeny usingfour genes (ND2, COI, MB and ODC), recovered the monophyly of Pseudocolopteryx, resolving therelationships among its five species: (P. sclateri (P. acutipennis (P. dinelliana (P. citreola-P. flaviventris))). Repetition and translocation of acoustic elements were commonplace in the evolution of Pseudocolopteryx. Songs were conformed by introductory syllables and a finalflourish. Bill-snaps of P. sclateri were homologous to introductory vocal syllables of the otherspecies. The song of P. dinelliana evolved to extreme levels of complexity and repetition, being thesyntactically most complex song in Pseudocolopteryx (and perhaps in the Tyrannidae). Aerialdisplays, mechanical wing sounds and modifications of primary feathers coevolved in threespecies: P. sclateri, P. acutipennis and P. dinelliana. Wing sounds documented for P. acutipennisand P. dinelliana differed markedly, and their production mechanisms might differ. The two cryptic(sibling) species P. flaviventris and P. citreola diverged ∽60 thousand years ago, were not reciprocally monophyletic and are a case of extremely rapid evolutionary acoustic differentiation with morphological stasis.