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

JORDAN, EMILIO A.; TELLO, JOSÉ G.; BENÍTEZ SALDÍVAR, MARÍA JULIANA; ARETA, JUAN I.

ZOOLOGICA SCRIPTA

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2020 vol. 50 p. 173 - 192

0300-3256

While bird vocalizations (produced by the syrinx) have been the focus of count-less studies, mechanical sounds (produced by external body structures) have re-ceived much less attention. In particular, the evolutionary interplay between these two modes of acoustic communication remains largely unstudied. Here, we present the first species-level molecular phylogeny of the doraditos (Pseudocolopteryx), re-construct the evolutionary history of acoustic vocal and non-vocal characters, eluci-date their relationship to feather modifications and aerial displays, and explore the influence of acoustics in the speciation of cryptic species. Our well-resolved phy-logeny using four genes (ND2, COI, MB and ODC), recovered the monophyly of Pseudocolopteryx, resolving the relationships among its five species: ((((P. sclateri) P. acutipennis) P. dinelliana) P. citreola, P. flaviventris). Repetition and transloca-tion of acoustic elements were commonplace in the evolution of Pseudocolopteryx. Songs were composed of introductory syllables and a final flourish. Bill-snapping sounds of P. sclateri were functionally homologous to introductory vocal syllables of the other species. The song of P. dinelliana evolved to high levels of complexity and repetition and is the syntactically most complex song in Pseudocolopteryx (and perhaps in the Tyrannidae). Aerial displays, mechanical wing sounds and modifica-tions of primary feathers coevolved in three species: P. sclateri, P. acutipennis and P. dinelliana. Wing sounds documented for P. acutipennis and P. dinelliana differed markedly, and their production mechanisms might differ. The two cryptic and sibling species P. flaviventris and P. citreola diverged ∽60,000 Ya were not reciprocally monophyletic and are a case of extremely rapid evolutionary acoustic differentiation with morphological stasis