loading page

The influence of the forest corridors to the north of the Andes on the diversification of the Bright-rumped Attila, Attila spadiceus (Passeriformes, Tyrannidae), during the climatic oscillations of the middle Pleistocene
  • +3
  • Patrícia Mendonça,
  • Lincoln Carneiro,
  • Victor Leandro-Silva,
  • Juliana Araripe,
  • Alexandre Aleixo,
  • Pericles Rego
Patrícia Mendonça
Universidade Federal do Para - Campus Braganca

Corresponding Author:mendoncapatricia10@gmail.com

Author Profile
Lincoln Carneiro
Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi Campus de Pesquisa
Author Profile
Victor Leandro-Silva
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
Author Profile
Juliana Araripe
Universidade Federal do Pará - Campus Bragança
Author Profile
Alexandre Aleixo
Instituto Tecnologico Vale Desenvolvimento Sustentavel
Author Profile
Pericles Rego
Universidade Federal do Para - Campus Braganca
Author Profile

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to enhance our understanding of the temporal and spatial proceses scales governing the taxonomic diversification of Neotropical birds with Trans- and Cis-Andean populations. Location: Central America and South America. Taxon: Attila spadiceus (Bright-rumped Attila). Methods: Through a multilocus analysis of the mitochondrial (CytB and ND2) and nuclear genes (I7BF, I5BF, and G3PDH) of 41 samples representing six subspecies, we describe the existing molecular lineages of A. spadiceus, and estimate their demographic dynamics. We also modeled the climatic niche of the species. Results: The analysis confirms a relatively recent divergence of the Trans- and Cis-Andean lineages, at approximately 0.25 million years ago (Ma). The niche modeling supports the existence of a dynamic scenario of the expansion and retraction of forest corridors in northwestern South America during the last glaciation. This suggests that the earlier orogenesis of the Andes was not a primary determinant of this dichotomy. Additionally, the analysis of population dynamics indicated a trend of increasing population size starting at 0.05 Ma for both lineages. Main Conclusions: Our findings highlight the significance of Pleistocene Forest corridors north of the Andes as the key factor maintaining communication before the separation of the lineages, likely associated with the retraction of this forest. We highlight the absence of any significant differentiation between the disjunct Amazonian and Atlantic Forest populations, both part of the Cis-Andean lineage. The phylogeographic profile of A. spadiceus diverges from the patterns observed in other Neotropical birds, which emphasizes the need for further research on the role of the forest corridors of the northern Andes as drivers of diversification, to provide comprehensive insights into the processes that led to the formation of the region’s present-day avian diversity.
10 May 2024Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
06 Jun 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
04 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
04 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
05 Aug 20241st Revision Received
06 Aug 2024Submission Checks Completed
06 Aug 2024Assigned to Editor
06 Aug 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
06 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Accept