Abstract
BackgroundThe Savanna Nightjar (Caprimulgus affinis) is a widespread, polytypic species which was previously treated as two or three species. It is currently treated as a single species based on superficial similarity of their songs but no detailed comparisons of the songs in this complex have been made.MethodsA total of 15 acoustic variables were measured for the songs of 86 individuals representing 8 of the 10 subspecies in the complex.ResultsThree major groups can be distinguished based on univariate and multivariate analyses: a northern group consisting of the subspecies C. a. monticolus, C. a. amoyensis and C. a. stictomus; a southern group consisting of C. a. affinis, C. a. kasuidori, C. a. timorensis and C. a. propinquus; and a third group in the Philippines consisting of C. a. griseatus.ConclusionsIt is here argued that these groups are best treated as species, and that Franklin’s Nightjar (C. monticolus) and Kayumanggi Nightjar (C. griseatus) are reinstated as separate species.
Highlights
The Savanna Nightjar (Caprimulgus affinis) is a widespread, polytypic species which was previously treated as two or three species
Principal component analysis The songs of 86 individuals were used in the Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
The results of this study show that the northern subspecies C. a. monticolus, C. a. amoyensis and C. a. stictomus, the southern subspecies C. a. affinis, C. a. kasuidori, C. a. timorensis and C. a. propinquus and the Philippine subspecies C. a. griseatus represent separate groups in Principal Component Analysis of variation in vocalizations, and that individuals can be classified correctly at high proportions in Discriminant Function Analysis
Summary
The Savanna Nightjar (Caprimulgus affinis) is a widespread, polytypic species which was previously treated as two or three species. It is currently treated as a single species based on superficial similarity of their songs but no detailed comparisons of the songs in this complex have been made. During the last two decades, quantitative comparisons of songs have helped clarify species limits in several groups, including pygmy owls [Glaucidium [Howell and Robbins 1995; Gwee et al 2019)], scops owls [Otus (Rasmussen et al 2000; Sangster et al 2013)], screech owls [Megascops (Krabbe 2017; Dantas et al 2021)], hawk owls (Ninox [Rasmussen et al 2012; Gwee et al 2017]) and nightjars [Caprimulgus ([Sangster and Rozendaal 2004)].
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