Morphological consequences of hybridization in two interbreeding taxa: Kurdish Wheatear (Oenanthe xanthoprymna) and Persian Wheatear (O.chrysopygia) in western Iran

Abstract

Morphological consequences of hybridization were studied in two    interbreeding taxa of genus Oenanthe. The breeding ranges of Kurdish Wheatear (Oenanthe xanthoprymna ) and Persian Wheatear (O.chrysopygia ) overlap in west and north west of Iran where  intermediate color variants can be found. Field works were carried out in May 2006 and 2007 inside and outside of contact zone. We found O.chrysopygia and supposed hybrid together in contact zone also O.chrysopygia in areas outside of contact zone. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were performed on 19 morphometric measurements and Multiple  Correspondence Analyses (MCA) was performed on 17 qualitative variables for all adult specimens. Results of MANOVA showed no significant difference between supposed hybrid and O.chrysopygia. Furthermore, three morphometric variables showed significant difference between O.xanthoprymna and supposed hybrid. Dendrogram based on morphometric distances, confirms that supposed hybrid is sister taxa with O.chrysopygia and dendrogram based on plumage coloration and biometric distances shows the supposed hybrid is nested near the O.xanthoprymna. Therefore, our results supposed the close morphometrical relationships of supposed hybrid with O.chrysopygia despite a plumage coloration pattern close to O. xanthoprymna.

Keywords: Wheatear; Oenanthe xanthoprymna, Oenanthe chrysopygia, Oenanthe cummingi, hybridization, morphology, contact zone