Phylogenetic Placement Of Nonggang Babbler And The Biogeographic Study Of Bird Genus Stachyris

Nonggang babbler(Stachyris nonggangensis), a medium-sized passerine with a body length of approximately17cm, is a recently discovered bird species by Chinese ornithologists from the Sino-Vietnamese border region of China in2008. After reports were published, Nonggang Babblers has already been considered an endemic bird in the limestone area because of their unique characteristics. The Nonggang Babbler is restricted to the well-protected limestone forest and is only recorded in Longzhou and Jingxi counties in southwestern Guangxi. As the Nonggang Babbler is a newly discovered species, not much information about biology is known. To provide systematic placement of Nonggang babbler, we sequenced2mitochondrial genes (cyt b,ND2) and3nuclear introns (ODC, GAPDH, myo) and used ML, MP and BI to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree of Timaliidae.Based on2mitochondrial genes, Bayesian, MP and ML analysis produced congruent phylogenetic trees. Stachyris nonggangensis was sisiter to Sphenocichla humei in three methods supported strongly by bootstrap resampling (89) or posterior probability (1.0). Bird genus Stachyris could be divided in three clades. The first major subclade (Stachyridopsis) including the birds distributed in Himalaya and Hengduanshan regions, for example Stachyris chrysaea, Stachyris ruficeps and Stachyris ambigua. The second major subclade(Stachyris) covered the Stachyris leucotis, Stachyris thoracica, Stachyris nigriceps and Stachyris nigricollis, which mostly observed in Sunda Archipelago and Malay Peninsula. Stachyris nonggangensis and Sphenocichla humei were also located as sister group in thes subclade. The third major subclade(Sterrhoptilus) contained the endemic Stachyris birds(Stachyris dennistouni, Stachyris nigrocapitata, Stachyris whiteheadi) in Philippine islands. Zosterops japonicas and Yuhina nigrimenta were also mixed up in the subclade three.Tradintional Timaliidae birds were supported for six main clades within this radiation. The clade of Garrulacinae, comprising Garrulax, Liocichla, Actinodura, Babax and Leiothrix, has larger body and bright feathers. The clade of Pellorneinae mostly includes the jungle babbler wih smaller body and darker feather. The clade of Timaliiane comprises the typical babbler, for example, Stachyris, Pomatorhinus and Spelaeornis. Clade Zosteropinae, containing Yuhina, Zosteropidae and Stachyris endemic to Philippines, is sister to the previous three. The fifth clade, including Pnoepyga, Chrysomma and partial Alcippe species, is consistently found outside of Timaliidae and maybe listed in Sylviidae. Pomatostomus temporalis, Mystacornis crossleyi and Pteruthius rufiventer were combined with outgroup. Undoubtedly, they should be removed from the Timaliidae.The phylogeny based on2mitochondrial genes and3nuclear introns also indicatied Stachyris nongangensis was closely to Sphenocichla humei and Pomatorhinus ruficollis. But the Timaliidae could be divided only in two clades. Clade A covered Garrulax, Liocichla, Actinodura, Babax, Leiothrix and partial Stachyris. In this clade, Stachyris nongangensis and Pomatorhinus ruficollis is sitster to Stachyris nigriceps. Clade B, comprising most Pomatorhinus and Stachyridopsis was cosely to Zosterops japonicas, Kenopia striata and Jabouilleia danjoui with strong support in three analyzed methods.The result of biogeography indicated the genus Stachyris was occupied in southern Continental Asia, Malay Peninsula, Sunda Archipelago and Philippines islands. At least, there were two distribution centres for Stachyris. Philippine Archipelago, including10endemic Stachyris, was the most abundant region. If the Stachyris could be divided as three genuses, the centre of Stachyridopsis, was located at southern Himalayas. There were at least4Stachyridopsis and1endemic species in this region. The centre of Stachyris, comprising6endemic species, was in Malay Peninsula and Sumatra.Biogeographic reconstruction indicated Hengduanshan and the extension to Indo-China recgion origin for the Stachyris nonggangensis and Spelaeornis humei about2.6Ma years ago. The three clades of Stachyris were developed from different region. Stachyris should originate in Sunda Archipelago. Stachyridopsisshould come from Hengduanshan region. However, undoubtedly, the Sterrhoptilus was originated from Philippines. We suppose sea levels changing in southeast Asia was an important factor to the differentiation and speciation of bird genus Stachyris.