Reed warblers in the Marquesas Islands: song divergence and plumage convergence of two distinct lineages

Marquesan reed warblers exhibit convergent evolution in carotenoid-based plumage coloration, with two distinct lineages acquiring yellow coloring independently. However, significant variation exists among islands, and vocalizations differ slightly between species, with island-specific dialects acting as pre-zygotic barriers when birds from different lineages interact. Nuku Hiva serves as a primary contact zone for these lineages, where gene flow occurs. The study integrates genetic (mitochondrial sequences and microsatellite markers) and phenotypic (reflectance spectrometry and song analysis) data to elucidate the evolutionary history of Pacific Ocean avifauna.

Cibois, A., Thibault, J.-C., Friedman, N. R., Omland, K. E., Desutter-Grandcolas, L., Robillard, T., & Pasquet, E. (2019). Reed warblers in the Marquesas Islands: song divergence and plumage convergence of two distinct lineages. Emu - Austral Ornithology, 119(3), 251–263. https://doi.org/10.1080/01584197.2019.1597633