Seutin, Gilles;Brawn, Jeffrey;Ricklefs, Robert E.;Bermingham, Eldredge
Genetic divergence among populations of a tropical passerine, the Streaked Saltator (Saltator albicollis)
Auk
1993
Journal Article
110
1
117-126
Parque Nacional del Manu animals birds Streaked Saltators Saltator albicollis large spatial scales genetics population genetics distributions taxonomy systematics phylogenetic analysis Madre de Dios Bibliography
We analyzed mitochondrial-DNA (mtDNA) restriction-site variation in populations (subspecies) of the Streaked Saltator (Saltator albicollis) in Panama, Peru, and the Lesser Antilles. Genetic differentiation between populations (Panama vs. Peru, 0.035; Lesser Antilles vs. Panama/Peru, 0.063) greatly exceeded values reported for populations or subspecies within North American bird species (0.0028-0.0086), and was near the high end of the range reported for congeneric species of passerine birds (0.016-0.073). Nucleotide diversity within populations was similar to that reported for other species of passerines and did not differ markedly between mainland and island populations. Thus, founder effects and population bottlenecks associated with island colonization appear to have caused little, if any, loss of mtDNA nucleotide diversity. No significant mtDNA differentiation was observed between populations of named subspecies on mainland Panama (S. a. isthmicus) and the Pearl Islands (speratus), or between two subspecies in the Lesser Antilles (albicollis and guadelupensis). Saltator albicollis exhibits marked geographical genetic differentiation, as assayed by mtDNA polymorphism, but this bears little relationsip to subspecies distinctions. Finally, the genetic data suggest that Antillean populations of Streaked Saltators should be distinguished at specific rank (S. albicollis), with continental forms referred to S. striatipectus.