Talk:Old World flycatcher

Phylogeny

A phylogenetic study of the Old World flycatcher has been published online: Zhao, M.; Burleigh, J.G.; Olsson, U.; Alström, P.; Kimball, R.T. (2023). "A near-complete and time-calibrated phylogeny of the Old World flycatchers, robins and chats (Aves, Muscicapidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 178: 107646. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107646.

This is a supermatrix study using sequence data already deposited in the databanks. Some of the nodes are poorly supported by the data and a comprehensive UCE study is probably required to resolve the remaining uncertainties.

The study relied heavily on mitochondrial data: it compared the sequences of 15 mitochondrial and 13 nuclear loci. The authors use the Clements classification but note where the IOC differs. The study was fairly complete – it included sequences from 301 species out of the 327 species in the Clements list (v.2021) (cf 344 in IOC 12.1). The authors found that 7 genera were not monophyletic (out of 34 polytypic genera in the family) and recommend that 32 species in the IOC list are moved to a different genus. They resurrect 5 genera: Tychaedon, Agricola, Bessonornis , Caffrornis and Bradornis. (Bradornis was already recognised by Clements). Four genera become junior synonyms: Humblotia, Heinrichia, Namibornis and Vauriella. If Vauriella goodfellowi placed in own genus will need a need a new name (type of Vauriella is Rhinomyias insignis Ogilvie-Grant 1895).

I expect that the IOC (and the WGAC) will eventually adopt many of these recommendations.

I notice that the draft list for IOC 13.1 includes 5 species moved from Cyornis to Eumyias as well as Cossypha polioptera moved to Sheppardia. These Cyornis species were not sampled in Zhao et al. The move of Cossypha polioptera is supported by Zhao et al.

I've drawn a cladogram showing the proposed classification. The number of species in each genus is approximate – I haven't looked at the IOC splits etc. Note that some of the nodes are poorly supported and the cladogram represents a "best guess" from the available sequence data.

--Aa77zz (talk) 11:55, 30 November 2022 (UTC)

Muscicapidae

Muscicapinae Copsychini Alethe – alethes (2 species) (Position in tree uncertain) Tychaedon – scrub robins (c. 5 species) formerly in Cercotrichas Cercotrichas – scrub robins (c. 5 species) Copsychus – magpie-robins, sharmas (13 species) Muscicapini Agricola – flycatchers (2 species) formerly in Melaenornis Fraseria – flycatchers (c. 7 species) includes 3 from Muscicapa, 2 from Myioparus Melaenornis – flycatchers (c. 8 species) includes Empidornis semipartitus, Namibornis herero Bradornis – flycatchers (6 species) includes 4 from Muscicapa, 2 from Melaenornis, perhaps Vauriella goodfellowi Muscicapa – (c. 19 species) includes Humblotia flavirostris Niltavinae Leucoptilon – white-tailed flycatcher Sholicola – blue robins (2 species) Niltava – niltavas (7 species) Cyanoptila – flycatchers (2 species) Eumyias – flycatchers (6 species) Anthipes – flycatchers (2 species) Cyornis – blue flycatchers, jungle flycatchers (36 species) many taxa unsampled Cossyphinae Erithacus – European robin Swynnertonia – Swynnerton's robin Pogonocichla – white-starred robin Cossyphicula – robin-chats (2 species) includes Cossypha isabellae Stiphrornis – forest robin Chamaetylas – alethes (4 species) Cossypha - robin-chats, ground robins (c. 8 species) Cichladusa – palm thrushes (3 species) Xenocopsychus – Angola cave chat Bessonornis – white-throated robin-chat – formerly in Cossypha Caffrornis – ground robins, robin-chat (3 species) formerly in Cossypha Sheppardia – akalats (11 species) includes Cossypha polioptera Saxicolinae Irania – white-throated robin Luscinia – nightingales, redstart, bluethroat (4 species) Calliope – rubythroats (5 species) Enicurus – forktails (8 species) Cinclidium – blue-fronted robin Myophonus – whistling thrushes (9 species) Myiomela – robins (3 species) Leonardina (5 species) includes Heinrichia calligyna and 3 from Vauriella Brachypteryx – shortwings (6 species) Larvivora – robins (6 species) Ficedula – flycatchers (34 species) Tarsiger – bush robins, bluetails (6 species) Heteroxenicus – Gould's shortwing Phoenicurus – redstarts (14 species) Monticola – rock thrushes (13 species) Saxicola – bush chats, stonechats (15 species) Campicoloides – buff-streaked chat Emarginata – chats (3 species) Pinarochroa – moorland chat Thamnolaea – cliff chats (2 species) Myrmecocichla – chats (8 species) Oenanthe – wheatears (32 species)

IOC 13.2

The IOC 13.2 list was released in July 2023. It included changes to align the IOC and Clements lists. The notes associated with the release cite Zhao et al 2023 but some of the proposals have not been adopted and some genera are still paraphyletic. The four genera that became junior synonyms in Zhao et al 2023 are all retained by the IOC: Humblotia, Heinrichia, Namibornis and Vauriella.

• Cercotrichas is still paraphyletic according to Zhao et al 2023 - not mentioned in IOC notes
• Agricola resurrected as in Zhao et al 2023
• Fraseria expanded as in Zhao et al 2023
• Sigelus resurrected for the fiscal flycatcher. Monotypic Empidornis and Namibornis also retained. This differs from Zhao et al 2023 who expanded Melaenornis to include the three three monotypic genera.
• Humblotia retained for Humblot's flycatcher. This differs from Zhao et al 2023 where it is embedded in Muscicapa.
• Bradornis resurrected for 6 species as in Zhao et al 2023
• Cossypha isabellae (mountain robin-chat) moved to Cossyphicula as in Zhao et al 2023
• Dessonornis (spelled as Bessornis above) resurrected for 4 species in Cossypha. This differs from Zhao et al 2023 who place 3 of the species from Cossypha in a resurrected genus Caffrornis.
• Heinrichia retained for the great shortwing rather than merged into Leonardina as per Zhao et al 2023.
• Vauriella retained for 4 species. Instead Zhao et al 2023 moved three species to Leonardina and needed new genus for Vauriella goodfellowi.

- Aa77zz (talk) 10:39, 1 August 2023 (UTC)