The species complex comprising the rufous-naped lark (Corypha africana), the Sharpe’s lark (Corypha sharpii), the red-winged lark (Corypha hypermetra), the Somali long-billed lark (Corypha somalica) and the Ash’s lark (Corypha ashi) encompasses 31 recognized taxa across sub-Saharan Africa, many of which are extremely poorly known and some not observed for decades. In new research, ornithologists from Uppsala University and elsewhere revised the taxonomy of this lark complex using multiple genetic and phenotypic datasets. Their results suggest the recognition of nine instead of five Corypha species in the complex.
The bird family Alaudidae (larks) comprises approximately 100 species, which are widely distributed across Eurasia and Africa, with one species ranging to Australia and one to North America and Colombia.
Larks generally inhabit open areas, such as various types of grasslands, open scrubland and deserts.
This habitat choice is exceptional in comparison to the other 1,100 species within the large superfamily Sylvioidea.
“Although the taxonomy of Eurasian larks is relatively well studied, relatively fewer studies have dealt with African species, despite the fact that 60% of the lark species occur exclusively in Africa,” said Uppsala University researcher Per Alström and his colleagues.
“The newly resurrected genus Corypha, which was until recently treated as part of a very large genus, Mirafra, contains a complex of superficially similar but poorly known species.”
“This species complex occurs more or less patchily in open savannah-type habitats across sub-Saharan Africa.”
The species are medium-sized to large for larks (16-23 cm, 33-68 g), with streaked upperparts and breasts and with variably prominent rufous panels on their remiges.”
In their new study, the authors revised the taxonomy of the Corypha lark complex by integrating multiple genetic and phenotypic datasets across 31 taxa.
“Our work includes the first extensive…
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