Abstract
Effective conservation relies on accurate taxonomy, because we cannot protect what we do not know. Species limits among phenotypically differentiated and allopatrically distributed populations on Southwest Pacific islands are poorly understood. This likely has led to an underestimate of species richness in the Southwest Pacific, and, consequently, a biased application of conservation effort. The silktail Lamprolia victoriae is a bird species endemic to Fiji. Two subspecies are known from Vanua Levu and Taveuni Islands, but uncertainty remains whether they should be considered one or two species. If the latter, increased conservation effort is warranted to protect forest habitat where isolated populations occur only on the Natewa Peninsula. Here, we address this question by examining 8859 single nucleotide polymorphisms produced by restriction-site associated DNA sequencing. We find that the silktail is best considered two species, due to high genetic differentiation and low gene flow between the two subspecies. These differences match known phenotypic differences (size and plumage), as well as allopatric island distributions. We suggest that the silktail be used as an icon for conservation efforts of the heavily degraded forest habitats on the Natewa Peninsula. Finally, we reassess the divergence age estimates of Lamprolia and its relatives, Chaetorhynchus and Rhipidura, in light of new phylogenomic evidence from oscine passerines.
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Acknowledgements
We are indebted to the staff and curators in the South Pacific Regional Herbarium at the University of the South Pacific, Suva (Marika Tuiwawa, Alivereti Naikatini), the Fiji Department of Forestry (Sanivalati Vido), the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (Joeli Vakabua), Mika Bolakania, and Dick Watling for their assistance, permission, and friendship in Fiji. We thank Mark Robbins, University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute for assistance with a tissue loan. Bob Zink and one anonymous reviewer provided helpful comments on the manuscript. This project was funded in part by National Science Foundation (NSF) Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant [DEB-1406989 to JDM and RGM] and awards to MJA [DEB-1557051] and RGM [DEB-1557053]. The COBRE Genome Sequencing Core Laboratory, funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH) award number P20GM103638, provided laboratory facilities and services. We thank the KU Advanced Computing Facility (partially funded by NSF grant CNS 1337899 to A.T. Peterson) for the use of their facilities.
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Andersen, M.J., Manthey, J.D., Naikatini, A. et al. Conservation genomics of the silktail (Aves: Lamprolia victoriae) suggests the need for increased protection of native forest on the Natewa Peninsula, Fiji. Conserv Genet 18, 1277–1285 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-017-0979-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-017-0979-x