Bugun liocichla

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Bugun liocichla
Bugun Loichichla.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Leiothrichidae
Genus: Liocichla
Species:
L. bugunorum
Binomial name
Liocichla bugunorum
Athreya, 2006

The Bugun liocichla (Liocichla bugunorum) is a passerine bird species from the family Leiothrichidae [2] closely related to the Emei Shan liocichla. First spotted in 1995 in Arunachal Pradesh, India, it was described as a new species in 2006. [3] The description was made without the collection of a type specimen as they were too few to risk killing one. It is thought to be an endangered species, with a small population, and a very restricted distribution range within which commercial development threatens the habitat. [4]

Contents

Description

The Bugun liocichla is a small babbler (20 cm (7.9 in)) with olive-grey plumage and a black cap. The face is marked with prominent orange-yellow lores, and the wings have yellow, red and white patches. The tail is black with crimson coloured undertail coverts and red tips. The feet are pink and the bill is black at the face fading to pale white. A second duller individual was mist netted, which was probably the female. The voice is described as fluty and distinctive. [3]

A study of the evolution of the species within the genus Liocichla based on mitochondrial DNA sequence similarity showed that the species is most closely related to L. omeiensis with the Hengduan Mountains possibly acting as the isolating barrier between the two. [5]

Distribution and habitat

All sightings of the species have been at an altitude of 2,000 m (6,600 ft) on disturbed hillsides covered with shrubs and small trees, with the exception of one sighting on the edge of primary forest. It lives in a territory similar to that of the Emei Shan liocichla. Small flocks were observed during January, whereas pairs were observed in May, with an estimated total of 14 individuals. [3] It is thought that pairs may hold and defend territories. The Bugun liocichla is only currently known from just one location. Populations may be discovered in other areas of Arunachal Pradesh or neighbouring Bhutan. [3]

Attempts have been made to identify new locations where the species could occur based on identification of suitable habitats using computational models. [6]

Species discovery

Relationship among liocichlas [7]

The species was described in 2006 after being discovered in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, India, by an astrophysicist, Ramana Athreya. [8] The species was first spotted in the sanctuary in 1995 but was not seen again for ten years. Athreya spotted them again in January 2005 but did not publicize it until he was able to confirm it to be a new species. It was initially identified as appearing most similar to an Emei Shan liocichla, Liocichla omeiensis, a species of Liocichla endemic to China. It was, however, distinctly different and the full description was finally made by capturing and examining two individuals using mistnets, in May 2006. Due to the apparent rarity of the species no type specimen was collected, instead feathers from the mist net, photographs, recordings and notes were used as the holotype. [8] [9] The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature does not allow for new species to be described without the collection of type specimens, but this provision was circumvented in this case by the collection of feathers (the Code allows for "any part of an animal" to be treated as a type specimen; Art. 72.5.1 [10] ). The 1991 description of the Bulo Burti boubou (Laniarius liberatus), an African bushshrike species later considered invalid, lacked a specimen and only blood samples were collected and has been more controversial. A detailed review of the discovery of the species was published in 2007. [11]

The first report of the species was made in a posting to Nathistory-India, an electronic mailing list in 1996. [12] It was only in 2006, however, that the species was formally described. [13]

Taxonomy and systematics

The species' scientific and common names are derived from the Bugun tribe in whose communal forests the species was discovered. [9]

The species is a sister of Liocichla omeiensis and the speciation may have been caused by the isolating geographic barrier of the Hengduan mountains. [7]

Threats and conservation

For a "spectacular bird" with distinctive calls to have been overlooked until 1995 suggests that the species is not common. Only three breeding pairs are currently known and is listed as critically endangered. While the species is capable of living in degraded forests, its small population is considered threatened, especially in the light of plans to build a highway through an area thought to be its primary habitat. [9]

Related Research Articles

The Buguns are one of the earliest recognized schedule tribes of India, majority of them, inhabiting the Singchung Sub-Division of West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh. Buguns live in several exogamous clans. Traditionally, the predominant occupation was agriculture, supported with other allied activities like fishing and hunting, cattle rearing etc. Buguns have their own folklores, songs, dances, music and rituals. A rare bird, the Bugun liocichla, was named after the tribe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Kameng district</span> District of Arunachal Pradesh in India

West Kameng is a district of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. It accounts for 8.86% of the total area of the state. The name is derived from the Kameng river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, that flows through the district.

<i>Japalura austeniana</i> Species of lizard

Japalura austeniana, also known commonly as the Abor Hills agama or Annandale's dragon, is a rare species of lizard in the family Agamidae. The species is endemic to Asia.

<i>Lycodon gammiei</i> Species of snake

Lycodon gammiei, commonly known as Gammie's wolf snake or the Sikkim false wolf snake, is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-necked hornbill</span> Species of bird

The rufous-necked hornbill is a species of hornbill in Bhutan, northeastern India, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is locally extinct in Nepal due to hunting and significant loss of habitat. There are less than 10,000 adults left in the wild. With a length of about 117 cm (46 in), it is among the largest Bucerotine hornbills. The underparts, neck and head are pigmented as a rich rufous in the male, but black in the female.

<i>Liocichla</i> Genus of birds

The liocichlas are a group of birds in the genus of the same name, Liocichla, from the family Leiothrichidae. They are found in Asia from India to China. They belong to a clade also containing at least the Leiothrix, the barwings, the minlas and the sibias. Among these, they are an early offshoot, or basal lineage.

The Emei Shan liocichla, also known as the Omei Shan or grey-faced liocichla, is a passerine bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is closely related to the Bugun liocichla, a species only described in 2006, and which it closely resembles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary</span> Protected area of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Eaglenest or Eagle's Nest Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. It conjoins Sessa Orchid Sanctuary to the northeast and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the Kameng river to the east. Altitude ranges are extreme: from 500 metres (1,640 ft) to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft). It is a part of the Kameng Elephant Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-breasted fulvetta</span> Species of songbird

The golden-breasted fulvetta is a species of songbird found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferruginous flycatcher</span> Species of bird

The ferruginous flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striated yuhina</span> Species of bird

The striated yuhina is a bird species in the white-eye family Zosteropidae.

The Kameng River in the eastern Himalayan mountains, originates in Tawang district from the glacial lake below snow-capped Gori Chen mountain 27°48′36″N92°26′38″E, elevation 6,300 metres (20,669 ft), on the India-Tibet border and flows through Bhalukpong circle of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh and Sonitpur District of Assam, India. It becomes a braided river in its lower reaches and is one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra River, joining it at Tezpur, just east of the Kolia Bhomora Setu bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sessa Orchid Sanctuary</span> Wildlife sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, India

Sessa Orchid Sanctuary is a 100 km2 protected area of India in the Himalayan foothills in Bhalukpong Forest Division of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh. It conjoins Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary to the southwest. It is a part of the Kameng Protected Area Complex (KPAC), which is an Elephant Reserve. See map. The department of Environment & Forests has developed trekking routes for visitors to enjoy the natural habitats of orchids. There are deep gorges and valleys, high peaks and rugged terrain that are rewarding for nature lovers and adventure tourists. A nursery includes representative specimens of various orchid species of the sanctuary and a demonstration farm of Cymbidium hybrids for cut-flower production. Most of Sessa has traditionally been claimed by the Bugun tribe as part of their territory.

The Kameng Elephant Reserve is an Elephant Reserve located in the Himalayan foothills of Arunachal Pradesh, India, in the districts of West Kameng and East Kameng.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramana Athreya</span> Indian astronomer

Ramana Athreya is a birdwatcher and an astronomer at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune. In 2006, he described a new species of bird, the Bugun liocichla from the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in western Arunachal Pradesh, North-east India. This discovery has been described by BirdLife International as the most sensational ornithological discovery in India for more than half a century. He was awarded the Pakshishree award in 2009 for this discovery by the government of Rajasthan. In May 2011, he was conferred the Whitley Award, one of seven people awarded in the year, for his work on conservation and involving communities in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary.

Pakke Tiger Reserve, is a Project Tiger reserve in the East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. The 862 km2 (333 sq mi) reserve is protected by the Department of Environment and Forest of Arunachal Pradesh. It was known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve, but renamed in April 2001 by the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. It has won India Biodiversity Award 2016 in the category of 'Conservation of threatened species' for its Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environment and Forests Department (Arunachal Pradesh)</span>

The Department of Environment and Forests of Arunachal Pradesh (DEFAP) is a state-sponsored agency responsible for conserving the environment, identifying, establishing, and conserving protected areas in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Arunachal Pradesh</span>

Arunachal Pradesh is primarily a hilly tract nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in northeast India. It is spread over an area of 83,743 km2 (32,333 sq mi). 98% of the geographical area is land out of which 80% is forest cover; 2% is water. River systems in the region, including those from the higher Himalayas and Patkoi and Arakan Ranges, eventually drain into the Brahmaputra River.

Indian Birds is a bi-monthly ornithology journal/newsletter that was established in 2004. It was formerly published under the heading Newsletter for Ornithologists for one year. It publishes articles on identification, distribution, migration, conservation and taxonomy, apart from reports of significant ornithological sightings and events. Published from Hyderabad, the publication is owned by New Ornis Foundation.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2018) [amended version of 2017 assessment]. "Liocichla bugunorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22734628A125508034. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T22734628A125508034.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Collar, N. J. & Robson C. (2007). "Family Timaliidae (Babblers)". In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A. & Christie, D.A. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World , Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. pp. 70–291.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Athreya, Ramana (31 August 2006). "A new species of Liocichla (Aves:Timaliidae) from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India" (PDF). Indian Birds. 2 (4): 82–94. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  4. ↑ Athreya, R. (2006). Eaglenest Biodiversity Project − I (2003–2006): Conservation resources for Eaglenest wildlife sanctuary. A report submitted to the Forest Department of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, India, and the Rufford-Maurice-Laing Foundation (UK) (PDF). Kaati Trust, Pune. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2017.
  5. ↑ Mays, Herman L; McKay, Bailey D; Tietze, Dieter Thomas; Yao, Cheng-Te; Miller, Lindsey N; Moreland, Kathleen N; Lei, Fumin (2015). "A multilocus molecular phylogeny for the avian genus Liocichla (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae: Liocichla)". Avian Research. 6. doi: 10.1186/s40657-015-0025-y . Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  6. ↑ Peterson, A. T. & M. Papeş (2007). "Potential geographic distribution of the Bugun liocichla Liocichla bugunorum, a poorly-known species from north-eastern India" (PDF). Indian Birds. 2: 146–149. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 June 2007.
  7. 1 2 Mays, Herman L.; McKay, Bailey D.; Tietze, Dieter Thomas; Yao, Cheng-Te; Miller, Lindsey N.; Moreland, Kathleen N.; Lei, Fumin (2015). "A multilocus molecular phylogeny for the avian genus Liocichla (Passeriformes: Leiothrichidae: Liocichla)". Avian Research. 6. doi: 10.1186/s40657-015-0025-y .
  8. 1 2 "New Multicolored Bird Found in India". Associated Press. 12 September 2006. Archived from the original on 1 March 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2006.
  9. 1 2 3 "Bugun liocichla: a sensational discovery in north-east India". Birdlife International. 12 September 2006. Archived from the original on 5 October 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2006.
  10. ↑ "The Code Online | International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature". Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2016. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
  11. ↑ Kannan, R. (2007). "New bird descriptions without proper voucher specimens: reflections after the Bugun liocichla case". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 104 (1): 12–18.
  12. ↑ "LISTSERV 16.0 – Archives – Error". lists.princeton.edu.
  13. ↑ Athreya, R. (2006). "A new species of Liocichla (Aves: Timaliidae) from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India" (PDF). Indian Birds. 2 (4): 82–94. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2007.

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