Bugun liocichla

The Bugun liocichla (Liocichla bugunorum) is a passerine bird species from the family Leiothrichidae[2] closely related to the Emei Shan liocichla. First spotted in 1995 in Arunachal Pradesh, India, it was described as a new species in 2006.[3] The description was made without the collection of a type specimen as they were too few to risk killing one. It is thought to be an endangered species, with a small population, and a very restricted distribution range within which commercial development threatens the habitat.[4]

Bugun liocichla
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Leiothrichidae
Genus: Liocichla
Species:
L. bugunorum
Binomial name
Liocichla bugunorum
Athreya, 2006
Distribution of Bugun liocichla

Description

The Bugun liocichla is a small babbler (20 cm (7.9 in)) with olive-grey plumage and a black cap. The face is marked with prominent orange-yellow lores, and the wings have yellow, red and white patches. The tail is black with crimson coloured undertail coverts and red tips. The feet are pink and the bill is black at the face fading to pale white. A second duller individual was mist netted, which was probably the female. The voice is described as fluty and distinctive.[3]

A study of the evolution of the species within the genus Liocichla based on mitochondrial DNA sequence similarity showed that the species is most closely related to L. omeiensis with the Hengduan Mountains possibly acting as the isolating barrier between the two.[5]

Distribution and habitat

All sightings of the species have been at an altitude of 2,000 m (6,600 ft) on disturbed hillsides covered with shrubs and small trees, with the exception of one sighting on the edge of primary forest. It lives in a territory similar to that of the Emei Shan liocichla. Small flocks were observed during January, whereas pairs were observed in May, with an estimated total of 14 individuals.[3] It is thought that pairs may hold and defend territories. The Bugun liocichla is only currently known from just one location. Populations may be discovered in other areas of Arunachal Pradesh or neighbouring Bhutan.[3]

Attempts have been made to identify new locations where the species could occur based on identification of suitable habitats using computational models.[6]

Species discovery
 
 
 
 

L. phoenicea

 
 

L. ripponi

 
 
 
 

L. bugunorum

 
 

L. omeiensis

 
 
 
 

L. steerii

 
 
Relationship among liocichlas[7]

The species was described in 2006 after being discovered in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, India, by an astrophysicist, Ramana Athreya.[8] The species was first spotted in the sanctuary in 1995 but was not seen again for ten years. Athreya spotted them again in January 2005 but did not publicize it until he was able to confirm it to be a new species. It was initially identified as appearing most similar to an Emei Shan liocichla, Liocichla omeiensis, a species of Liocichla endemic to China. It was however distinctly different and the full description was finally made by capturing and examining two individuals using mistnets, in May 2006. Due to the apparent rarity of the species no type specimen was collected, instead feathers from the mist net, photographs, recordings and notes were used as the holotype.[8][9] The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature does not allow for new species to be described without the collection of type specimens, but this provision was circumvented in this case by the collection of feathers (the Code allows for "any part of an animal" to be treated as a type specimen; Art. 72.5.1[10]). The 1991 description of the Bulo Burti boubou (Laniarius liberatus), an African bushshrike species later considered invalid, lacked a specimen and only blood samples were collected and has been more controversial. A detailed review of the discovery of the species was published in 2007.[11]

The first report of the species was made in a posting to Nathistory-India, an electronic mailing list in 1996.[12] It was only in 2006, however that the species was formally described.[13]

Taxonomy and systematics

The species' scientific and common names are derived from the Bugun tribe in whose communal forests the species was discovered.[9]

The species is a sister of Liocichla omeiensis and the speciation may have been caused by the isolating geographic barrier of the Hengduan mountains.[7]

Threats and conservation

For a "spectacular bird" with distinctive calls to have been overlooked until 1995 suggests that the species is not common. Only three breeding pairs are currently known and is listed as critically endangered. While the species is capable of living in degraded forests, its small population is considered threatened, especially in the light of plans to build a highway through an area thought to be its primary habitat.[9]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Liocichla bugunorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Collar, N. J. & Robson C. (2007). "Family Timaliidae (Babblers)". In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A. & Christie, D.A. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. pp. 70–291.
  3. Athreya, Ramana (31 August 2006). "A new species of Liocichla (Aves:Timaliidae) from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India" (PDF). Indian Birds. 2 (4): 82–94. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  4. Athreya, R. (2006). Eaglenest Biodiversity Project − I (2003–2006): Conservation resources for Eaglenest wildlife sanctuary. A report submitted to the Forest Department of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, India, and the Rufford-Maurice-Laing Foundation (UK) (PDF). Kaati Trust, Pune. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2017.
  5. Mays, Herman L; McKay, Bailey D; Tietze, Dieter Thomas; Yao, Cheng-Te; Miller, Lindsey N; Moreland, Kathleen N; Lei, Fumin (2015). "A multilocus molecular phylogeny for the avian genus Liocichla (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae: Liocichla)". Avian Research. 6. doi:10.1186/s40657-015-0025-y.
  6. Peterson, A. T. & M. Papeş (2007). "Potential geographic distribution of the Bugun Liocichla Liocichla bugunorum, a poorly-known species from north-eastern India" (PDF). Indian Birds. 2: 146–149. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 June 2007.
  7. Mays, Herman L.; McKay, Bailey D.; Tietze, Dieter Thomas; Yao, Cheng-Te; Miller, Lindsey N.; Moreland, Kathleen N.; Lei, Fumin (2015). "A multilocus molecular phylogeny for the avian genus Liocichla (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae: Liocichla)". Avian Research. 6. doi:10.1186/s40657-015-0025-y.
  8. "New Multicolored Bird Found in India". Associated Press. 12 September 2006. Archived from the original on 1 March 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2006.
  9. "Bugun Liocichla: a sensational discovery in north-east India". Birdlife International. 12 September 2006. Archived from the original on 5 October 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2006.
  10. "The Code Online | International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature". Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2016. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
  11. Kannan, R. (2007). "New bird descriptions without proper voucher specimens: reflections after the Bugun Liocichla case". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 104 (1): 12–18.
  12. "LISTSERV 16.0 – Archives – Error". lists.princeton.edu.
  13. Athreya, R. (2006). "A new species of Liocichla (Aves: Timaliidae) from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India" (PDF). Indian Birds. 2 (4): 82–94. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2007.

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