The quailfinch (''Ortygospiza atricollis'') is a species of the
estrildid finch. It is found in open grasslands in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, thick, red bills. They are very terrestrial, with
lark-like feet and claws.
Systematics
Previously, three species were recognized, but are now considered subspecies:
*
Black-chinned quailfinch, ''Ortygospiza atricollis gabonensis''
*
African quailfinch, ''Ortygospiza atricollis fuscocrissa''
*
Black-faced quailfinch, ''Ortygospiza atricollis atricollis''
The
locust finch, ''Paludipasser locustella'', is considered a member of this genus by some taxonomists.
Two issues are contentious: First, whether the locustfinch should be included here or given its own
monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...
genus. Second, the "African quailfinch" complex might comprise one or three (sub)species. The two-taxon arrangement as found in most field guides and used by the
IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
, was recently shown to be based only on a single character (the color of the chin and throat). It is certainly erroneous, being contradicted by all other
morphological,
behavior
Behavior (American English) or behaviour (British English) is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in some environment. These systems can include other systems or organisms as wel ...
al and
DNA sequence
DNA sequencing is the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence – the order of nucleotides in DNA. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. Th ...
data.
The molecular data would support a two-taxon arrangement with the
taxa ''atricollis'' and ''fuscocrissa'', but this is not supported by the other data. In conclusion, either ''gabonensis'' should be merged back into ''atricollis'', or ''fuscocrissa'' should be restored to (sub)species status.
Gene flow
In population genetics, gene flow (also known as gene migration or geneflow and allele flow) is the transfer of genetic material from one population to another. If the rate of gene flow is high enough, then two populations will have equivalent a ...
in the "African quailfinch" complex is still ongoing, and the three lineages therein either form a
superspecies, or can be considered a single, wide-ranging and very variable species.
[Payne & Sorenson (2007)]
References
* Clement, Peter; Harris, Alan & Davis, John (1993): ''Finches and Sparrows: an identification guide''.
Christopher Helm, London.
* Payne, Robert B. & Sorenson, Michael D. (2007): Integrative systematics at the species level: plumage, songs and molecular phylogeny of quailfinches ''Ortygospiza''. ''
Bull. B.O.C.'' 127(1): 4-26
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Ortygospiza
Birds described in 1817
Taxa named by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot
{{Estrildidae-stub