The role of western Mediterranean islands in the evolutionary diversification of the spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata,a long‐distance migratory passerine species |
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| Authors: | J‐M Pons J‐C Thibault R Aymí M Grussu J Muntaner G Olioso J R Sunyer M Touihri J Fuchs |
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| Affiliation: | 1. UMR 7205 Inst. de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Sorbonne Univ., Dépt Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, France;2. UMS MNHN/CNRS 2700 Outils et Méthodes de la Systématique Intégrative (OMSI), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, France;3. Inst. de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité, UMR 7205, Dépt Systématique et Evolution, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris Cedex 05, France;4. Inst. Català d'Ornitologia, Museu de Zoologia, Passeig Picasso, s/n, ES‐08003 Barcelona, Spain;5. Gruppo Ornitologico Sardo, IT‐09045 Quartu Sant'Elena, Italy;6. Mèrlera, ES‐07011 Palma, Spain;7. 248 rue de l'industrie, FR‐11210 Port‐La‐Nouvelle, France;8. Servei d'Agents de Medi Ambient, Conselleria d'Agricultura, Medi Ambient i Territori, Gremi Corredors 10, Polígon Son Rossinyol, ES‐07009 Palma, Spain;9. Univ. de Tunis El Manar, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, UR11‐ES11, Unité de Recherche de Bio‐Ecologie Animale et Systématique Evolutive, TN‐2092 Tunis, Tunisia |
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| Abstract: | We investigated the evolutionary history of the spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata, a long distance migratory passerine having a widespread range, using mitochondrial markers and nuclear introns. Our mitochondrial results reveal the existence of one insular lineage restricted to the western Mediterranean islands (Balearics, Corsica, Sardinia) and possibly to the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy that diverged from the mainland lineages around 1 Mya. Mitochondrial genetic distance between insular and mainland lineages is around 3.5%. Limited levels of shared nuclear alleles among insular and mainland populations further support the genetic distinctiveness of insular spotted flycatchers with respect to their mainland counterparts. Moreover, lack of mitochondrial haplotypes sharing between Balearic birds (M. s. balearica) and Corso‐Sardinian birds (M. s. tyrrhenica) suggest the absence of recent matrilineal gene flow between these two insular subspecies. Accordingly, we suggest that insular spotted flycatchers could be treated as one polytypic species (Muscicapa tyrrhenica) that differs from M. striata in morphology, migration, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA and comprises two subspecies (the nominate and M. t. balearica) that diverged recently phenotypically and in mitochondrial DNA and but still share the same nuclear alleles. This study provides an interesting case‐study illustrating the crucial role of western Mediterranean islands in the evolution of a passerine showing high dispersal capabilities. Our genetic results highlight the role of glacial refugia of these islands that allowed initial allopatric divergence of insular populations. We hypothesize that differences in migratory and breeding phenology may prevent any current gene flow between insular and mainland populations of the spotted flycatcher that temporarily share the same insular habitats during the spring migration. |
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