Order
Passeriformes
Family
Phaenicophilidae
Genus
Phaenicophilus
 
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Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

SPECIES

Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager Phaenicophilus poliocephalus

Jason M. Townsend
Version: 1.0 — Published March 16, 2009

Systematics

Geographic Variation

Three subspecies of Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager have been described from mainland Haiti and three small satellite islands (Keith et al. 2003). Nominate poliocephalus
is found on the mainland of Haiti and on the adjacent island of Grande Cayemite.
Subspecies tetraopes (Wetmore and Lincoln 1932) is restricted to the island of Ile-a-Vache. This subspecies is similar to poliocephalus, but slightly paler: “gray of
under surface, crown, and hind-neck lighter; dorsal surface lighter green; abdomen more whitish; bill slightly longer” (Wetmore and Lincoln 1932: 36). This subspecies is recognized by Keith et al. (2003), but is generally is synonymized with poliocephalus (e.g., Storer 1970, Dickinson 2003). The third subspecies, coryi (Richmond and Swales 1924), is restricted to Ile de la Gonave. Subspecies coryi is described as larger than poliocephalus, and paler, with the center of the abdomen and breast white; usually (but not always) paler under tail coverts; and a tendency (especially in males) to have a small white spot in the center of the crown, immediately posterior to the black forecrown (Richmond and Swales 1924: 107).

Subspecies

Related Species

Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager is a member of the family Thraupidae. McDonald and Smith (1990) analyzed the genetic differentiation between Gray-crowned and Black-crowned Palm-Tanagers using horizontal starch gel electrophoresis of muscle and liver tissue extracts. Their comparison of 39 loci supported the species level differentiation between the two and suggested rapid differentiation. These authors estimate that Gray-crowned and Black-crowned Palm-Tanagers diverged only 50,000 to 260,000 years ago as a result of Pleistocene flooding of the Jacmel Depression and subsequent isolation of the Tiburon peninsula. These authors suggest a founder event involving juvenile Black-crowned Palm-Tanagers in the far western end of the peninsula during this period of isolation. They argue for a rapid divergence of the founder population, and a general retention of juvenile plumage and behavioral characteristics that resemble those of Black-crowned Palm-Tanager.  A more recent analysis comparing mitochondrial DNA, nuclear introns, and morphological measurements from both Gray-crowned and Black-crowned Palm-Tanagers revealed mitochondrial divergence of 5.3-5.9%, substantially greater than the average divergence of 1.9% between North American sister species (Sly et al. 2010).  Using standard mitochondrial rate of change or "molecular clock"  dating, these authors estimate that divergence between the species occurred 2 - 3 million years ago, a far greater time estimate than that of McDonald and Smith (1990).  The Tiburon Peninsula was rejoined with the rest of Hispaniola approximately 100,000 years ago (Maurrasse and Rigaud 1982) and Sly et al. (2010) suggest that allopatric divergence of Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager occurred well before this event and was directly the result of geographic isolation.  McDonald (1988) documents a hybrid zone between Gray-crowned and Black-crowned Palm-Tanagers along the Jacmel Depression but suggests that gene flow between the species is low and that hybrid offspring are selected against. This hybrid zone is described as a "narrow band of mesic woodland, thornscrub, and disturbed rural area ... in the area north of Marigot, extending to about 4-5 km south of Seguin and bordered on the east by Fond Jean Noel"  (McDonald and Smith 1994; see in particular page 435, where this contact is mapped).  Further research is needed into the extent of hybridization in this area, particularly west of the areas described above.

Recommended Citation

Townsend, J. M. (2009). Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager (Phaenicophilus poliocephalus), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.gcptan1.01