Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA has identified two major clades in Spotted Flycatcher (Pons et al. 2016), one on the western Mediterranean islands (tyrrhenica, balearica) and the other on the mainland (striata and several other subspecies). Sequence divergence between the two clades is substantial (3.4–4.2% in cytochrome c oxidase; Pons et al. 2016). Nuclear DNA does not sort the taxa into reciprocally monophyletic groups; however, no haplotypes are shared between the groups (Pons et al. 2016). The two groups also differ in plumage and morphometrics (Gargallo 1993, Viganò & Corso 2015, Viganò et al. 2019, Corso et al. 2020). The most distinctive plumage difference is the streaking on the underparts (heavy in striata; weak in tyrrhenica and balearica) and the coloration of the upperparts (brownish grey in striata; warmer brown in tyrrhenica and balearica). Both tyrrhenica and balearica have significantly shorter and more rounded wings than striata (Gargallo 1993, Viganò & Corso 2015, Viganò et al. 2019). In addition, the songs of tyrrhenica and balearica contain distinctly higher-pitched notes than those of striata (Comolet-Tirman 2017, 2018, Viganò et al. 2019). Furthermore, on the Balearic Islands, balearica is temporarily sympatric with migrant striata without any apparent admixture of lineages (Pons et al. 2016). Birds carrying tyrrhenica mtDNA haplotypes have been found on the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy, but it remains unclear if this taxon breeds there and whether its breeding range meets that of striata (Pons et al. 2016). The combined molecular, morphological, bioacoustic and phenological evidence strongly indicates the existence of two lineages that are best treated as species:
• Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata (polytypic)
• Mediterranean Flycatcher Muscicapa tyrrhenica (polytypic, with subspecies tyrrhenica and balearica)
Comolet-Tirman, J 2017. Les vocalisations du Gobe-mouche gris Muscicapa striata tyrrhenica en Corse: perspectives pour les décisions relatives à son statut taxonomique. Alauda 85: 295-306.
Comolet-Tirman, J 2018. Note sur le chant nuptial du Gobe mouche des Baléares Muscicapa tyrrhenica balearica à Majorque. Alauda 86: 235-236.
Corso, A, Viganò, M & Starnini, L 2020. Additional identification character for Mediterranean Flycatcher. Dutch Birding 42: 269-270.
Gargallo, G 1993. Identificació de la subspècie Balear de Menjamosques (Muscicapa striata balearica). Anuari Ornitolôgic de Les Balears 8: 21–30.
Pons, J-M, Thibault, J-C, Aymí, R, Grussu, M, Muntaner, J, Olioso, G, Sunyer, JR, Touihri, M & Fuchs, J 2016. The role of western Mediterranean islands in the evolutionary diversification of the Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata), a long-distance migratory passerine species. Journal of Avian Biology 47: 386–398.
Viganò, M & Corso, A 2015. Morphological differences between two subspecies of Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata (Pallas, 1764) (Passeriformes Muscicapidae). Biodiversity Journal 6: 271–284.
Viganò, M, Corso, A, Illa, M & Starnini, L 2019. Identification of Mediterranean Flycatcher. Dutch Birding 41: 295-317.
