Malagasy warbler
Encyclopedia
The Malagasy warblers are a newly validated clade
of songbird
s. They were formally named Bernieridae in 2010. The family consists of ten species
of small forest birds and is endemic to Madagascar
.
The monophyly
of this group has been proposed as early as 1934 (Salomonsen 1934). But the traditional assignments of these birds were maintained, mistaken by their convergent evolution
and the lack of dedicated research. The families to which the Malagasy warblers were formerly assigned—Pycnonotidae (bulbul
s) but especially Timaliidae (Old World babbler
s) and the Old World warbler
—were used as "wastebin taxa
", uniting unrelated lineages that were somewhat similar ecologically and morphologically
.
It was not until the analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b
and 16S rRNA (Cibois et al. 1999, 2001) as well as nDNA RAG-1 and RAG-2 exon
(Beresford et al. 2005) sequence
data, that the long-proposed grouping was accepted.
Formerly in Pycnonotidae (bulbuls)
Formerly in Sylviidae
(Old World warblers)
Formerly in Timaliidae (Old World babblers)
An eleventh species, Rand's Warbler
(Randia pseudozosterops), may also belong in this family.
Several of these species are very poorly known and were described by science only very recently. Appert's Tetraka
was only described in 1972 and the Cryptic Warbler
in 1996. The Appert's Tetraka, along with the Grey-crowned Tetraka
and the Dusky Greenbul
are threatened by habitat loss, and are listed as vulnerable
.
Most Malagasy warblers live in the humid rainforests in the east of Madagascar
, though a few species are found in the drier south west of the island. They feed on insects and will form mixed-species feeding flock
s of up to six species while foraging.
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
of songbird
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
s. They were formally named Bernieridae in 2010. The family consists of ten species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of small forest birds and is endemic to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
The monophyly
Monophyly
In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a taxon which forms a clade, meaning that it contains all the descendants of the possibly hypothetical closest common ancestor of the members of the group. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly...
of this group has been proposed as early as 1934 (Salomonsen 1934). But the traditional assignments of these birds were maintained, mistaken by their convergent evolution
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
and the lack of dedicated research. The families to which the Malagasy warblers were formerly assigned—Pycnonotidae (bulbul
Bulbul
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands...
s) but especially Timaliidae (Old World babbler
Old World babbler
The Old World babblers or timaliids are a large family of mostly Old World passerine birds. They are rather diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent...
s) and the Old World warbler
Old World warbler
The "Old World Warblers" is the name used to describe a large group of birds formerly grouped together in the bird family Sylviidae. The family held over 400 species in over 70 genera, and were the source of much taxonomic confusion. Two families were split out initially, the cisticolas into...
—were used as "wastebin taxa
Wastebin taxon
Wastebasket taxon is a term used in some taxonomic circles to refer to a taxon that has the sole purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined by their lack of one or more distinct character states or by their not belonging to one or more other taxa...
", uniting unrelated lineages that were somewhat similar ecologically and morphologically
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
.
It was not until the analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b
Cytochrome b
Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...
and 16S rRNA (Cibois et al. 1999, 2001) as well as nDNA RAG-1 and RAG-2 exon
Exon
An exon is a nucleic acid sequence that is represented in the mature form of an RNA molecule either after portions of a precursor RNA have been removed by cis-splicing or when two or more precursor RNA molecules have been ligated by trans-splicing. The mature RNA molecule can be a messenger RNA...
(Beresford et al. 2005) sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
data, that the long-proposed grouping was accepted.
Formerly in Pycnonotidae (bulbuls)
- Genus Bernieria – formerly in PhyllastrephusPhyllastrephusPhyllastrephus is a songbird genus in the family Pycnonotidae . They make up the typical greenbuls, though two are named brownbuls.This genus contains the following species:* Cabanis's Greenbul, Phyllastrephus cabanisi...
- Long-billed BernieriaLong-billed BernieriaThe Long-billed Bernieria , formerly known as Long-billed Greenbul and sometimes as Common Tetraka or Long-billed Tetraka, is a songbird species endemic to Madagascar. It was initially considered a greenbul, and later with the Old World warblers...
or Long-billed Greenbul, Bernieria madagascariensis
- Long-billed Bernieria
- Genus XanthomixisXanthomixisXanthomixis is a genus of birds in the Malagasy warbler family Bernieridae. It contains the tetrakas.-Species:*Appert's Tetraka, Xanthomixis apperti*Grey-crowned Tetraka, Xanthomixis cinereiceps*Dusky Tetraka, Xanthomixis tenebrosa...
– formerly in Phyllastrephus; possibly polyphyletic- Spectacled Tetraka or Spectacled Greenbul, Xanthomixis zosterops
- Appert's TetrakaAppert's TetrakaAppert's Tetraka or Appert's Greenbul is a small passerine bird endemic to the south-west of Madagascar. The species was only described in 1972, and has been the subject of considerable taxonomic confusion. It was initially placed in the greenbul genus Phyllastrephus, and later with the Old World...
or Appert's Greenbul, Xanthomixis apperti - Dusky Tetraka or Dusky Greenbul, Xanthomixis tenebrosus
- Gray-crowned Tetraka or Gray-crowned Greenbul, Xanthomixis cinereiceps
Formerly in Sylviidae
Sylviidae
Sylviidae is a family of passerine birds that was part of an assemblage known as the Old World warblers. The family was formerly a wastebin taxon with over 400 species of bird in over 70 genera. The family was poorly defined with many characteristics shared with other families...
(Old World warblers)
- Genus Thamnornis
- Thamnornis, Thamnornis chloropetoides
- Genus Cryptosylvicola
- Cryptic WarblerCryptic WarblerThe Cryptic Warbler is a species of Malagasy warbler in the Bernieriidae family. It was formerly placed in the Old world warbler family Sylviidae. It is endemic to Madagascar.-References:...
, Cryptosylvicola randriansoloi
- Cryptic Warbler
Formerly in Timaliidae (Old World babblers)
- Genus Hartertula – formerly in NeomixisNeomixisNeomixis is a genus of bird formerly in the Timaliidae family but now considered to belong to the African warbler cisticolidae family. The genus consists of three small forest birds endemic to Madagascar:* Stripe-throated Jery...
- Wedge-tailed JeryWedge-tailed JeryThe Wedge-tailed Jery is a small bird endemic to the east of Madagascar. The species has been the cause of some taxonomic confusion, it was originally placed with the jeries in the genus Neomixis before being placed in its own monotypic genus Hartertula, but still considered close to Neomixis...
, Hartertula flavoviridis
- Wedge-tailed Jery
- Genus Crossleyia
- Yellow-browed Oxylabes, Crossleyia xanthophrys
- Genus Oxylabes
- White-throated OxylabesWhite-throated OxylabesThe White-throated Oxylabes is a species of passerine once thought to be a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family. It is found only in Madagascar...
, Oxylabes madagascariensis
- White-throated Oxylabes
An eleventh species, Rand's Warbler
Rand's Warbler
The Rand's Warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family. It is found only in Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
(Randia pseudozosterops), may also belong in this family.
Several of these species are very poorly known and were described by science only very recently. Appert's Tetraka
Appert's Tetraka
Appert's Tetraka or Appert's Greenbul is a small passerine bird endemic to the south-west of Madagascar. The species was only described in 1972, and has been the subject of considerable taxonomic confusion. It was initially placed in the greenbul genus Phyllastrephus, and later with the Old World...
was only described in 1972 and the Cryptic Warbler
Cryptic Warbler
The Cryptic Warbler is a species of Malagasy warbler in the Bernieriidae family. It was formerly placed in the Old world warbler family Sylviidae. It is endemic to Madagascar.-References:...
in 1996. The Appert's Tetraka, along with the Grey-crowned Tetraka
Grey-crowned Tetraka
The Grey-crowned Tetraka or Grey-crowned Greenbul is a species of Malagasy warblerin the family Bernieridae.It is found only in eastern and northern Madagascar....
and the Dusky Greenbul
Dusky Greenbul
The Dusky Tetraka is a species of Old World warbler in the Bernieridae family. It is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
are threatened by habitat loss, and are listed as vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
.
Most Malagasy warblers live in the humid rainforests in the east of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, though a few species are found in the drier south west of the island. They feed on insects and will form mixed-species feeding flock
Mixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
s of up to six species while foraging.