Evolutionary history of New World crakes (Aves: Rallidae) with emphasis on the tribe Laterallini

Abstract

New World crakes are intriguing, poorly known birds with cursorial cryptic habits; they belong to two unrelated tribes: Laterallini and Pardirallini. Recent genetic studies contributed to the phylogenetic knowledge of these tribes, but a complete phylogenetic reconstruction is still missing. Here, we present the most taxonomically complete dated gene-based phylogeny of New World crakes, with an emphasis on the Laterallini, including for the first time sequences of Coturnicops notatus, Laterallus levraudi, L. jamaicensis tuerosi and L. xenopterus.We used multilocus (mtDNA + nucDNA) phylogenetic analyses and interpreted our results in light of the natural history of the group. Our novel results show that: (1) L. xenopterus is sister to L. leucopyrrhus; (2) L. j. tuerosi is sister to L. spilonota; (3) C. notatus is sister to the clade that groups the remaining New World black crakes (L. jamaicensis, L. j. tuerosi, L. rogersi, L. spilonota and L. spilopterus); and (4) L. levraudi and L. melanophaius conform a recently diverged clade. Thus, our results indicate polyphyly in this group, particularly for Laterallus and, for the first time, for Coturnicops. We show that some discrepancies with previous studies stem from misidentified samples or sequences of L. leucopyrrhus and Anurolimnas fasciatus. Finally, we provide new preliminary insights into species limits of some taxa, specifically for L. levraudi, L. melanophaius and L. j. tuerosi.Our results set the stage for integrative taxonomic assessments at the generic level in the Laterallini by incorporating phylogenetic (gene-based) and natural history data.

Sixty-fourth Supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s Check-list of North American Birds

“…Notes.-Formerly, along with M. erythrops, placed in the genus Neocrex, but genetic data indicate that erythrops is closely related to and should be considered congeneric with Mustelirallus albicollis (Vieillot, 1819) [Ash-throated Crake] ( Garcia-R et al 2014Garcia-R et al , 2021Kirchman et al 2021;Depino et al 2023); presumably this also applies to the very similar M. colombianus, which has not been sampled genetically.…”

“…Under the heading Family RALLIDAE: Rails, Gallinules, and Coots, add the following to the existing Notes: Linear sequence of Pardirallus and Mustelirallus follows Kirchman et al (2021) and Brown et al (2022). Notes.-Rufirallus schomburgkii was formerly placed in Micropygia, but genetic data (Kirchman et al 2021, Depino et al 2023 show that this species is sister to Rufirallus viridis (Müller, 1776) [Russet-crowned Crake]. These species share features of plumage, soft part colors, and vocalizations, as well as a preference for drier habitats (Depino et al 2023).…”

“…Notes.-Rufirallus schomburgkii was formerly placed in Micropygia, but genetic data (Kirchman et al 2021, Depino et al 2023 show that this species is sister to Rufirallus viridis (Müller, 1776) [Russet-crowned Crake]. These species share features of plumage, soft part colors, and vocalizations, as well as a preference for drier habitats (Depino et al 2023). Thus, we follow Kirchman et al (2021) and Depino et al (2023) in treating them as congeneric.…”

“…These species share features of plumage, soft part colors, and vocalizations, as well as a preference for drier habitats (Depino et al 2023). Thus, we follow Kirchman et al (2021) and Depino et al (2023) in treating them as congeneric.…”