title: Improved sampling at the subspecies level solves a taxonomic dilemma - A case study of two enigmatic Chinese tit species (Aves, Passeriformes, Paridae, Poecile).
abstract: A recent full species-level phylogeny of tits, titmice and chickadees (Paridae) has placed the Chinese endemic black-bibbed tit (Poecile hypermelaenus) as the sister to the Palearctic willow tit (P. montanus). Because this sister-group relationship is in striking disagreement with the traditional affiliation of P. hypermelaenus close to the marsh tit (P. palustris) we tested this phylogenetic hypothesis in a multi-locus analysis with an extended taxon sampling including sixteen subspecies of willow tits and marsh tits. As a taxonomic reference we included type specimens in our analysis. The molecular genetic study was complemented with an analysis of biometric data obtained from museum specimens. Our phylogenetic reconstructions, including a comparison of all GenBank data available for our target species, clearly show that the genetic lineage previously identified as P. hypermelaenus actually refers to P. weigoldicus because sequences were identical to that of a syntype of this taxon. The close relationship of P. weigoldicus and P. montanus - despite large genetic distances between the two taxa - is in accordance with current taxonomy and systematics. In disagreement with the previous phylogenetic hypothesis but in accordance with most taxonomic authorities, all our P. hypermelaenus specimens fell in the sister clade of all western and eastern Palearctic P. palustris. Though shared haplotypes among the Chinese populations of the two latter species might indicate mitochondrial introgression in this part of the breeding range, further research is needed here due to the limitations of our own sampling.
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen, Königsbrücker Landstraβe 159, D-01109 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tritsch
authors.affiliation: Institut für Zoologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, 55099 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, 100101 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biochemie und Biologie, AG Tierökologie, Universität Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469 Potsdam, Germany; Amur Bird Project, Roseggerstraβe 14, 14471 Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Wieland
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Heim
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen, Königsbrücker Landstraβe 159, D-01109 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Strutzenberger
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen, Königsbrücker Landstraβe 159, D-01109 Dresden, Germany. Electronic address: martin.paeckert@senckenberg.de.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Päckert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D056426:Genetic Loci; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: DNA barcoding; Multi-locus phylogeny; Phylogeography; Poecile hypermelaenus; Poecile weigoldicus