Comprehensive phylogeny of the laughingthrushes and allies (Aves, Leiothrichidae) and a proposal for a revised taxonomy

Abstract

DNA phylogenies have gradually shed light on the phylogenetic relationships of the large babbler group. We focus in this study on the family Leiothrichidae (laughingthrushes and "song babblers"), which represents the largest clade of babblers in terms of species diversity. Our phylogeny includes all genera and 82% of the recognized species, using mitochondrial and nuclear loci. The sister group to Leiothrichidae is composed of the Pellorneidae ("jungle babblers") plus the genus Alcippe. Within Leiothrichidae, four strongly supported primary clades (A-D) are recovered. Clade A includes Grammatoptila, Laniellus and Cutia. Clade B includes a large group of laughingthrushes, all of them classified in Trochalopteron. In Clade C, the two laughingthrushes endemic to southern India, T. fairbanki and T. cachinnans, which have recently been proposed to be placed in the newly erected genus Montecincla, form a sister clade to the group comprising the "song babblers" (Lioptila, Leiothrix, Heterophasia, Minla, Liocichla, Actinodura, Chrysominla, Siva, and Sibia). Clade D includes the African babblers (Turdoides, Phyllanthus, Kupeornis), Asian relatives (Argya, Acanthoptila, Chatarrhaea) and all remaining laughingthrushes (Garrulax).The time estimates suggest that the early diversification of the Leiothrichidae occurred in the mid-Miocene, a period that corresponds to the diversification of many passerine groups in Asia. A revised taxonomic classification of the family is proposed in the light of these results. K E Y W O R D Sbabblers, multilocus analysis, phylogeny, taxonomy | 429 CIBOIS et al.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Turdoides affinis mitogenome reveals the translational efficiency and importance of NADH dehydrogenase complex-I in the Leiothrichidae family

“…Recent classification studies have split this family into five discrete families 13 . Three of them, Leiothrichidae, Pellorneidae and Timaliidae consisted of traditional babblers while Zosteropidae that included mainly Yuhina and some other minor species, and Sylviidae grouped all the Sylvia warblers 14 . Among these five distinct families, Leiothrichidae is the largest consisting of 125 species distributed mainly in the Sino-Himalayan and South-Eastern parts of Asia 14 .…”

“…Three of them, Leiothrichidae, Pellorneidae and Timaliidae consisted of traditional babblers while Zosteropidae that included mainly Yuhina and some other minor species, and Sylviidae grouped all the Sylvia warblers 14 . Among these five distinct families, Leiothrichidae is the largest consisting of 125 species distributed mainly in the Sino-Himalayan and South-Eastern parts of Asia 14 . A study on the Leiothrichidae family suggested their origin prior to the Miocene–Pliocene boundary, which is well known for its noteworthy climatic turmoil in Asia 13 .…”

“…The Leiothrichidae family mainly consisted of Grammatoptila , Garrulax , Trochalopteron , Turdoides and Argya 14 . Polyphyletic ambiguities were observed among members of Turdoides due to which further taxonomic classification was done and some species were resurrected from this genus 14 – 16 .…”

“…The Leiothrichidae family mainly consisted of Grammatoptila , Garrulax , Trochalopteron , Turdoides and Argya 14 . Polyphyletic ambiguities were observed among members of Turdoides due to which further taxonomic classification was done and some species were resurrected from this genus 14 – 16 . Yellow-billed babbler which was considered to be under Turdoides has been recently proposed to be placed under Argya based on revised taxonomy of Leiothrichidae 14 ; however, more investigations are required to confirm this.…”

“…Polyphyletic ambiguities were observed among members of Turdoides due to which further taxonomic classification was done and some species were resurrected from this genus 14 – 16 . Yellow-billed babbler which was considered to be under Turdoides has been recently proposed to be placed under Argya based on revised taxonomy of Leiothrichidae 14 ; however, more investigations are required to confirm this. Yellow-billed babblers generally live in flocks of seven to ten members continuously squeaking, chattering and chirping.…”