Phylogeny and systematics of Chiroxiphia and Antilophia manakins (Aves, Pipridae)

Chiroxiphia and Antilophia manakins are recognized as closely related genera. Nonetheless, Chiroxiphia has been recovered as paraphyletic in some studies with limited taxonomic coverage. This genus currently comprises five species, although this arrangement is still unsettled. Chiroxiphia pareola is the most widespread species, with four recognized subspecies, but their taxonomic status are also uncertain. Finally, the phylogenetic relationships amongst the majority of Chiroxiphia and Antilophia taxa are unknown. Here, we use multilocus DNA sequences from multiple individuals of all currently accepted species and subspecies of both genera to infer their phylogenetic relationships and its implications on their classification. Our results suggest Chiroxiphia, as currently defined, is a paraphyletic group, since C. boliviana is more closely related to Antilophia than to the remaining Chiroxiphia taxa. Within C. pareola, our results support that C. p. regina and C. p. napensis should be treated as independent species. We found three divergent clades in C. p. pareola likely corresponding to distinct subspecies: one in which the isolated and endemic Tobago Island C. p. atlantica individuals are grouped with C. p. pareola from the north bank of the lower Amazon River; and two sister clades comprising individuals distributed south of the Amazon river, and those from the Atlantic Forest.