Register      Login
Emu Emu Society
Journal of BirdLife Australia
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MU > MU07011
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 109(2)

Systematic and conservation implications of mitochondrial DNA diversity in emu-wrens, Stipiturus (Aves : Maluridae)

S. C. Donnellan A B F , J. Armstrong A , M. Pickett C , T. Milne C D , J. Baulderstone C D , T. Hollfelder E and T. Bertozzi A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

B Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.

C Conservation Council of South Australia, 120 Wakefield St, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

D Present address: Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity Conservation, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

E School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

F Corresponding author. Email: Donnellan.Steve@saugov.sa.gov.au

Emu 109(2) 143-152 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU07011
Submitted: 8 February 2007  Accepted: 2 March 2009   Published: 10 June 2009

Abstract

The three species of emu-wrens (Maluridae : Stipiturus) are small passerines found in arid to mesic habitats across southern Australia. The geographical distribution of nucleotide sequence diversity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in emu-wrens was investigated to assess the systematic status of Stipiturus (Aims 1 and 2), particularly in eastern Australia, and to examine closely the population structure of Southern Emu-wren (S. malachurus) in the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia (Aim 3). Aim 1: Phylogenetic relationships among the three species of Stipiturus, based previously on plumage and allozyme data, are confirmed by our mtDNA data, which support recognition of Mallee Emu-wren (S. mallee) as a distinct (evolutionary) species from, and sister lineage to, Rufous-crowned Emu-wren (S. ruficeps) rather than Southern Emu-wren. These relationships indicate that any interaction between Mallee and Southern Emu-wrens in south-eastern South Australia is a secondary contact. Aim 2: Within the Southern Emu-wren, which currently comprises eight subspecies, phylogenetic relationships among haplotypes from eastern Australia are not concordant globally with subspecies boundaries, but correspond in part to the most recent classification. A quantitative statistical evaluation of the taxonomic implications of phenotypic variation in these birds is warranted. Eastern haplotypes of Southern Emu-wren show strong phylogeographic structure indicative of allopatric divergence in refugia, with subsequent expansion without widespread introgression. Aim 3: Within the endangered populations of the Mount Lofty Ranges, historical isolation and demographic independence of central and southern populations is supported, corresponding with distribution data, but confirmation using nuclear markers is required. Despite separate subspecific designation of emu-wrens of the Mount Lofty Ranges (which are endangered) and south-eastern South Australia, they share mtDNA haplotypes without strong differentiation and emu-wrens of south-eastern South Australia should be preferred over Kangaroo Island birds for translocations into the MLR, although translocation among populations of the Mount Lofty Ranges is probably a wiser initial strategy to minimise the impact of ecological differences and risk of introduction of disease.

Additional keywords: bird, cytochrome b, ND2, systematics.


Acknowledgements

We thank D. Schultz, Adelaide Zoo, for instruction in collection of blood; W. Buttemer, W. Boles, L. Christidis, J. Eckert, D. Edey, R. Foster, B. Grigg, D. Hopton, R. Johnstone, M. Jones, P. Mawson, the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage (SADEH), ForestrySA, numerous landholders and especially R. Schodde, for assistance with collection or provision of samples; M. Elphinstone and J. Norman for PCR primers; and L. Joseph for constructive comments on the manuscript. The project was supported by the Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage (formerly Environment Australia), the Conservation Council of SA, the South Australian Museum and SADEH. South Australian samples were collected under SADEH Scientific Research Permit Z23635 and SADEH Wildlife Ethics Committee approvals 9/1994, 17/2001 and 28/2003.


References

Avise, J. C. , Ankney, C. , and Nelson, W. (1990). Mitochondrial gene trees and the evolutionary relationship of mallard and black ducks. Evolution 44, 1109–1119.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Bowler J. M. (1982). Aridity in the late Tertiary and Quaternary of Australia. In ‘Evolution of the Flora and Fauna of Arid Australia’. (Eds W. R. Barker and P. J. M. Greenslade.) pp. 35–45. (Peacock Publications: Adelaide).

Burbrink, F. T. (2001). Systematics of the eastern ratsnake complex (Elaphe obsoleta). Herpetological Monograph 15, 1–53.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Condon H. T. (1969). ‘A Handlist of the Birds of South Australia.’ 3rd edn. (South Australian Ornithological Association: Adelaide.)

Cracraft, J. (1986). Origin and evolution of continental biotas: speciation and historical congruence within the Australian avifauna. Evolution 40, 977–996.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | de Queiroz K. (1998). The general lineage concept of species, species criteria and the process of speciation. In ‘Endless Forms, Species and Speciation’. (Eds D. J. Howard and S. H. Berlocher.) pp. 57–75. (Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.)

Degnan, S. , and Moritz, C. (1992). Phylogeography of mitochondrial DNA in two species of white-eyes in Australia. Auk 109, 800–811.
Dowling T. E. , Moritz C. , Palmer J. D. , and Reisberg L. H. (1996). Nucleic acids III: analysis of fragments and restriction sites. In ‘Molecular Systematics’. (Eds D. M. Hillis, C. Moritz and B. Mable.) pp. 249–320. (Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.)

Driskell, A. C. , Pruett-Jones, S. , Tarvin, K. A. , and Hagevik, S. (2002). Evolutionary relationships among blue- and black-plumaged populations of the White-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus leucopterus). Australian Journal of Zoology 50, 581–595.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Garnett S. T. , and Crowley G. M. (2000). ‘The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000.’ (Environment Australia: Canberra.)

Goudet, J. , Raymond, M. , de Meeüs, T. , and Rousset, F. (1996). Testing differentiation in diploid populations. Genetics 144, 1933–1940.
|  CAS | PubMed | Higgins P. J. , Peter J. M. , and Steele W. K. (Eds) (2001). ‘Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. Vol. 5: Tyrant-flycatchers to Chats.’ (Oxford University Press: Melbourne.)

Ho, S. Y. W. , Matthew, J. , Phillips, M. J. , Cooper, A. , and Drummond, A. J. (2005). Time dependency of molecular rate estimates and systematic overestimation of recent divergence times. Molecular Biology and Evolution 22, 1561–1568.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | IUCN Species Survival Commission (1994). ‘IUCN Red List Categories.’ (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources: Gland, Switzerland.)

Johnson, K. P. , and Sorenson, M. D. (1998). Comparing molecular evolution in two mitochondrial protein coding genes (cytochrome B and ND2) in the dabbling ducks (Tribe, Anatini). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 10, 82–94.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | Littlely T. , and Cutten J. (1994). Draft Recovery Plan for the Mt Lofty Ranges Southern Emu-wren (Stipiturus malachurus intermedius). Conservation Council of South Australia Inc., Adelaide.

Lovette, I. J. (2004). Mitochondrial dating and mixed support for the ‘2% rule’ in birds. Auk 121, 1–6.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | MLR Southern Emu-wren Recovery Team (1998). National recovery plan for the Mt. Lofty Ranges Southern Emu-wren (Stipiturus malachurus intermedius) 1999–2003. Environment Australia, Threatened Species and Communities Section, Canberra. Available at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/recovery/emu-wren/index.html [Verified 14 May 2009].

Morando, M. , Avila, L. J. , and Sites, J. W. (2003). Sampling strategies for delimiting species: genes, individuals and populations in Liolaemus elongatus–kriegi complex (Squamata : Liolaemidae) in Andean-Patagonian South America. Systematic Biology 52, 159–185.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Parker S. A. (1990). Birds. In ‘A List of the Vertebrates of South Australia’. 2nd edn. (Ed. C. H. S. Watts.) pp. 21–54. (Department of Environment and Planning: Adelaide.)

Pereira, S. L. , and Baker, A. J. (2006). A mitogenomic timescale for birds detects variable phylogenetic rates of molecular evolution and refutes the standard molecular clock. Molecular Biology and Evolution 23, 1731–1740.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed | Sambrook J. , Fritsch E. F. , and Maniatis T. (1989). ‘Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual.’ (Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory Press: Cold Spring Harbour, NY.)

Schneider S. , Roessli D. , and Excoffier L. (2000). ‘Arlequin Version 2.0: A Software for Population Genetics Data Analysis.’ (Genetics and Biometry Laboratory, University of Geneva: Switzerland.)

Schodde R. (1982). ‘The Fairy-Wrens. A Monograph of the Maluridae.’ (Lansdowne Editions: Melbourne.)

Schodde R. , and Mason I. R. (1999). ‘The Directory of Australian Birds. Passerines.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)

Simpson, G. G. (1951). The species concept. Evolution 5, 285–298.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Swofford D. (1999). ‘PAUP*: Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony (and Other Methods).’ (Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.)

Templeton, A. R. , Crandall, K. A. , and Sing, C. F. (1992). A cladistic analysis of phenotypic associations with haplotypes inferred from restriction endonuclease mapping and DNA sequence data. III. Cladogram estimation. Genetics 132, 619–633.
|  CAS | PubMed | Weir B. S. (1996). ‘Genetic Data Analysis II: Methods for Discrete Population Genetic Data.’ (Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.)

Weir, B. S. , and Cockerham, C. C. (1984). Estimating F-statistics for the analysis of population structure. Evolution 38, 1358–1370.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Wilson D. (2000). Habitat selection and reintroduction potential of the southern emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus intermedius. B.Env.Sc.(Hons) Thesis, University of Adelaide.

Wilson, D. , and Paton, D. C. (2004). Habitat use by the Southern Emu-wren, Stipiturus malachurus (Aves : Maluridae) in South Australia, and evaluation of vegetation at a potential translocation site for S. m. intermedius. Emu 104, 37–43.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Zink, R. M. , and Remsen, J. V. (1986). Evolutionary processes and patterns of geographic variation in birds. Current Ornithology 4, 1–69.