Premium
THE TAXONOMIC STATUS OF THE AFRICAN SILVERBILL
Author(s) -
Harrison C. J. O.
Publication year - 1964
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/j.1474-919x.1964.tb03727.x
Subject(s) - sympatric speciation , plumage , biology , zoology , captivity , genus , similarity (geometry) , subgenus , artificial intelligence , computer science , image (mathematics)
Summary The taxonomic status of the African and Indian Silverbills, cantans and malabarica , was examined. The characters used to isolate these birds in a separate genus, Euodice , are not generically valid, and the birds agree in morphology and behaviour with species of the genus Lonchura . The two silverbills show a general similarity in appearance and behaviour but differ in plumage pattern and colour. The call notes are similar but the songs are distinctly different in form, although they appear to share a common basic pattern. In captivity the two forms show evidence of preferential mating and lack of recognition which suggests that they would maintain their identity if sympatric. On this basis they are regarded as two species, Lonchura cantans and L. malabarica .