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Avian Research 2022, 13(3): 100022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avrs.2022.100022
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 10 March 2022

Multiple lines of evidence confirm that the critically endangered Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (Garrulax courtoisi) is an independent species

Show Author's Information Tao Liua,  Yongtao Xua,  Canwei Xiab,  David Edwardsc,  Xiaolong Hua,  Yingyu Sua,  Jinsheng Xiea,  Weiwei Zhanga( )
Center for Wildlife Resources Conservation Research, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100091, China
The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
Keywords:
Morphology, Taxonomy, Vocalization, Genetics, Garrulax courtoisi, Garrulax galbanus
An erratum to this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avrs.2022.100025
Cite this article:
Liu T, Xu Y, Xia C, et al. Multiple lines of evidence confirm that the critically endangered Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (Garrulax courtoisi) is an independent species. Avian Research, 2022, 13(3): 100022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avrs.2022.100022
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Abstract Full text About this article

The taxonomy of the Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (Garrulax courtoisi) and its relationship with the Yellow-throated Laughingthrush (G. galbanus) and G. c. simaoensis, a range-restricted subspecies in China, has not been fully elucidated. So the taxonomic status and system evolution of the three taxa G. courtoisi, G. galbanus and G. c. simaoensis need to be reclarified. Two gene sequences myoglobin (MYO) and the mitochondrial cytochrome coxidase subunit I (COI) were combined to investigate the phylogenetic relationships among courtoisi, simaoensis and galbanus, genetic data, combining with morphological, ecological and acoustic data were used to comb out the classification status and divergence level of the three taxa. Significant genetic and morphological differentiations (body size and plumage coloration) were detected between courtoisi and galbanus. However, no notable and reliable differences between the courtoisi and simaoensis were detected. The courtoisi, simaoensis and galbanus are clearly isolated in geographical distribution as a result of differing altitudes, climate conditions and habitats. The courtoisi has characteristic preference for nest location compared with galbanus. In addition, the results of song analysis also indicated that there are differences in maximum frequency between courtoisi and galbanus. G. courtoisi was confirmed to be an independent species based on genetic, morphological, geographical, ecological and vocal characteristics, and the validity of simaoensis as a subspecies still need more evidence. This study further confirmed the high conservation value of Blue-crowned Laughingthrush. In addition, due to the genetic differences between Simao and Wuyuan populations, this should be fully considered in future protection strategies.


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About this article

Multiple lines of evidence confirm that the critically endangered Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (Garrulax courtoisi) is an independent species

Show Author's information Tao Liua, Yongtao Xua, Canwei Xiab, David Edwardsc, Xiaolong Hua, Yingyu Sua, Jinsheng Xiea, Weiwei Zhanga( )
Center for Wildlife Resources Conservation Research, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China
College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100091, China
The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

Abstract

The taxonomy of the Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (Garrulax courtoisi) and its relationship with the Yellow-throated Laughingthrush (G. galbanus) and G. c. simaoensis, a range-restricted subspecies in China, has not been fully elucidated. So the taxonomic status and system evolution of the three taxa G. courtoisi, G. galbanus and G. c. simaoensis need to be reclarified. Two gene sequences myoglobin (MYO) and the mitochondrial cytochrome coxidase subunit I (COI) were combined to investigate the phylogenetic relationships among courtoisi, simaoensis and galbanus, genetic data, combining with morphological, ecological and acoustic data were used to comb out the classification status and divergence level of the three taxa. Significant genetic and morphological differentiations (body size and plumage coloration) were detected between courtoisi and galbanus. However, no notable and reliable differences between the courtoisi and simaoensis were detected. The courtoisi, simaoensis and galbanus are clearly isolated in geographical distribution as a result of differing altitudes, climate conditions and habitats. The courtoisi has characteristic preference for nest location compared with galbanus. In addition, the results of song analysis also indicated that there are differences in maximum frequency between courtoisi and galbanus. G. courtoisi was confirmed to be an independent species based on genetic, morphological, geographical, ecological and vocal characteristics, and the validity of simaoensis as a subspecies still need more evidence. This study further confirmed the high conservation value of Blue-crowned Laughingthrush. In addition, due to the genetic differences between Simao and Wuyuan populations, this should be fully considered in future protection strategies.

Keywords: Morphology, Taxonomy, Vocalization, Genetics, Garrulax courtoisi, Garrulax galbanus

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Publication history

Received: 18 June 2021
Accepted: 21 February 2022
Published: 10 March 2022
Issue date: September 2022

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© 2022 The Authors.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Huiqin Huang, Jinze Shi and Zhenhua Wei for help with wild sample collection and Shimin Tang, Prof. Zhijun Ma and Prof. Xin Lu for help with sample collection. We thank Dezhi Zhang and Tianlong Cai for help with the data analysis and figure mapping. We are grateful for receiving permission to use the vocal data. Thanks go to Dr. Mengyue Wu of Singapore National University for language proofreading and writing. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31660608, 31360521).

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