Sable Shearwater ex Fleshy-footed

[Bobolink]

Bond & Lavers (2024) have recommended a new common name for the Fleshy-footed Shearwater: Sable Shearwater
Abstract:
"Recently, there has been increased focus on the origins and history of common names for organisms, especially birds. Of particular interest are eponymous common names that reflect our colonial past. While identification of alternative names can be straightforward for some species, for those that migrate across jurisdictions including the lands of multiple Traditional Owner/Indigenous groups, reaching consensus on a single name that reflects the features of the species and their cultural importance can be substantially more complex. Using the migratory Ardenna carneipes as a case study, we propose a new common name (Sable Shearwater) for the species and discuss the many challenges that others will need to consider when navigating this important yet sensitive space (Bond & Lavers 2024).

They also discuss its taxonomic history, and accept two subspecies rather than it being monotypic.

"Taxonomically, two subspecies are currently recognized (Lombal et al. 2018). The nominate has a type locality of ‘Small islands off Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia’ (Gould 1844), which was collected by John Gilbert in December 1842 on St Alouarn Island off Augusta, Western Australia (CT Fisher in litt. 2023, Gilbert 1843, Lane 1978). In 1976, 100 pairs of A. carneipes were breeding on the island (Lane 1978).

The subspecies hulliana was described by Gregory Mathews from Lord Howe Island (the species' largest breeding site) in 1912 (Mathews 1912), though he erroneously originally believed it to be from Norfolk Island (Mathews 1927) [This is the taxon found in New Zealand]. It was named for Arthur Francis Basset Hull (1862–1945), an Australian naturalist and president of the Royal Australian Ornithologists Union and the Linnean Society of New South Wales, and an honorary ornithologist at the Australian Museum in Sydney (EOAS 2018). Other described subspecies (hakodate and carbonarius) are synonyms of carneipes."

[paradoxdinokipi]

Any reasons given for recognition of multiple subspecies?

[Bobolink]

From Lombal et al 2018: To actually read it costs $60.

Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests foraging segregation as a key mechanism promoting genetic divergence within seabird species. However, testing for a relationship between population genetic structure and foraging movements among seabird colonies can be challenging. Telemetry studies suggest that Flesh-footed Shearwater Ardenna carneipes that breed at Lord Howe Island or New Zealand, versus southwestern Australia or Saint-Paul Island in the Indian Ocean, migrate to different regions (North Pacific Ocean and northern Indian Ocean, respectively) during the non-breeding season, which may inhibit gene flow among colonies. In this study, we sequenced a 858-base pair mitochondrial region and seven nuclear DNA fragments (352–654 bp) for 148 individuals to test genetic differentiation among colonies of Flesh-footed Shearwaters. Strong genetic divergence was detected between Pacific colonies relative to those further West. Molecular analysis of fisheries’ bycatch individuals sampled in the Sea of Japan indicated that individuals from both western and eastern colonies were migrating through this area, and hence the apparent segregation of the non-breeding distribution based on telemetry is invalid and cannot contribute to the population genetic structure among colonies. The genetic divergence among colonies is better explained by philopatry and evidence of differences in foraging strategies during the breeding season, as supported by the observed genetic divergence between Lord Howe Island and New Zealand colonies. We suggest molecular analysis of fisheries’ bycatch individuals as a rigorous method to identify foraging segregation, and we recommend the eastern and western A. carneipes colonies be regarded as different Management Units.

[Neil Fitzgerald]

There paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.13356