Cytb + ND2 Prinia gracilis complex

Prinias (Cisticolidae: Prinia) are resident warblers of open areas across Africa and Asia and include many polytypic species whose species limits have not been seriously reevaluated recently. Based on an integrative taxonomic analysis of morphology, song, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), we suggest that 2 species should be recognized in the Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis) complex. In addition, our morphological analyses show the existence of a well-marked undescribed form in southeastern Somalia, which we name herein as a new subspecies. Prinia gracilis is a small, drab, long-tailed species with streaking above and plain pale underparts that has been suggested to fall into 2 groups: the southwestern nominate group (from Egypt to Oman) and the northeastern lepida group (from Turkey through India). However, the characters presented to justify this grouping are variable and show a mosaic pattern, and whether genetic and vocal differences exist is unknown. We found consistent between-group ...

鹪莺属（Prinia，隶属于扇尾莺科（Cisticolidae））为分布于非洲与亚洲开阔生境的留鸟，包含诸多多型种，其物种界定近年来尚未得到系统性的重新评估。基于对形态学、鸣声以及线粒体DNA（mtDNA）的整合分类学分析，我们提出应在优雅鹪莺（Prinia gracilis）复合群中识别出2个独立物种。此外，我们的形态学分析显示索马里东南部存在一个特征鲜明的未记述类群，本文将其命名为一新亚种。优雅鹪莺（Prinia gracilis）为小型、体色暗淡、具长尾的物种，上体具纵纹，下体呈纯色浅淡色调，此前被划分为两个类群：西南指名亚种群（分布范围从埃及至阿曼）以及东北lepida亚种群（分布范围从土耳其延伸至印度）。然而，用于支持该分组的形态特征存在变异且呈现镶嵌分布格局，目前尚不清楚该类群是否存在遗传与鸣声差异。我们发现两组间存在稳定的……