Acoustic differentiation reflects mitochondrial lineages in Blyth's leaf warbler and white-tailed leaf warbler complexes (Aves: Phylloscopus reguloides, Phylloscopus davisoni)

The present study evaluated the degree of differentiation between closely-related species of Blyth's leaf warbler complex (Phylloscopus reguloides s.l.) and white-tailed leaf warbler complex (Phylloscopus davisoni s.l.) by molecular (cytochrome b and 16S rRNA) and bioacoustic markers (sonagraphic analysis of songs). Molecular phylogenetic results corroborate the recently suggested splittings of the two former taxa into three and two species, respectively. By contrast to previous opinion, differentiation of territorial songs parallels the genetic diversification in both groups. In the P. reguloides group, all recently established species can be distinguished by a characteristic song pattern.…