Open AccessRecognition of a new generic‐level swallow taxon from central Africa
Author(s) -
de Silva Thili.,
Fernando Sumudu W.,
Robbins Mark B.,
Cooper Jacob C.,
Fokam Eric B.,
Peterson A. Townsend
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of avian biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.022
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1600-048X
pISSN - 0908-8857
DOI - 10.1111/jav.01698
Subject(s) - biology , clade , plumage , phylogenetic tree , lineage (genetic) , taxon , zoology , ecology , phylogenetics , genus , evolutionary biology , gene , genetics
The forest swallow Petrochelidon fuliginosa is a little‐known species endemic to lowland forests in central Africa; for lack of access to high‐quality genetic material, the species has been omitted from all previous molecular phylogenetic studies of the swallows. The species is currently placed in the genus Petrochelidon , within the ‘mud‐nester’ clade of swallows, yet its plumage, morphology, and nesting behavior do not align well with those of other major swallow lineages. As a consequence, upon securing recent specimens and high‐quality tissue samples, we sequenced DNA from two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear marker to place this species in the swallow phylogenetic tree. Our results placed the forest swallow firmly within the ‘mud nester’ clade, but outside of the clade corresponding to Petrochelidon . This outcome led us to document and describe formally a distinct, generic‐level lineage of swallow endemic to the Lower Guinean forest region of central Africa.