Birdsong, sexual selection, and the flawed taxonomy of canaries, goldfinches and allies

作者：Cardoso Goncalo C^*; Hu Yang; Mota Paulo Gama

来源：Animal Behaviour, 2012, 84(1): 111-119.

DOI：10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.04.015

• birdsong evolution
• Carduelis
• homoplasy
• natural selection
• Serinus
• sexual selection
• taxonomy

Sexual signals are often diagnostic of closely related species, and their taxonomic value at higher phylogenetic levels is often discussed. Complex signals such as birdsong are potentially rich in information regarding evolutionary history. However, natural or sexual selection, if pervasive enough, might distort that information. This has seldom been evaluated. We tested how ecological effects impact on the phylogenetic information of birdsong using a real case of flawed taxonomy: the reciprocal polyphyly of the genera Serinus and Carduelis. Major axes (principal components) of between-species song variation were not related to body size or habitat type. The main axis of song variation, reflecting syllable complexity and song length, was related to ecological indexes of sexual selection (latitude and ecological breadth), resulting in a positive latitudinal gradient in song elaboration. Song significantly supported monophyly over polyphyly for these genera, despite some song data having high phylogenetic signal (relative to the correct, polyphyletic phylogeny). Thus, the presence of high phylogenetic signal did not guarantee reliable taxonomic information at the genus level. The misleading phylogenetic information appears related to the latitudinal gradient in song elaboration plus the traditional Serinus and Carduelis spp. differing in latitude. We conclude that selection, in this case sexual selection, can pervasively distort the phylogenetic information even of complex and potentially information-rich signals.

• 出版日期2012-7