More prion confusion

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Colin Miskelly
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More prion confusion

Postby Colin Miskelly » Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:07 am

For more than 70 years, most ornithologists and birders have recognised six species of prion, with four breeding in the New Zealand region, and the two others (thin-billed prion and Salvin’s prion) regularly found beach-wrecked here in winter. Late last year, a genetic study revealed that MacGillivray’s prion (which breeds on Gough Island in the South Atlantic Ocean, and St Paul Island in the southern Indian Ocean) must be regarded as a full species, rather than as a subspecies of either broad-billed prion or Salvin’s prion:

Independent evolution of intermediate bill widths in a seabird clade
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00438-021-01845-3

This paper showed that MacGillivray’s prion was most closely related to broad-billed prion. As they both breed on the same island (Gough Island) without interbreeding, they must be full species. That made seven prion species, though still only six in New Zealand.

A subsequent paper published last week revealed that four of seven MacGillivray’s prions that were GLS-tracked from St Paul Island spent the 2018 winter in the Tasman Sea:

At-sea behavioural ecology of the endangered MacGillivray’s prion from Saint Paul Island: combining tracking and stable isotopes
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14136

Although the St Paul Island population is tiny (it got down to a few hundred pairs before ship rats were eradicated from St Paul Island), there is a high likelihood that MacGillivray’s prions have reached New Zealand, where they are likely to have been misidentified as Salvin’s prions if found on our beaches.

To further complicate matters, a paper published today has revealed that there are two species of ‘fulmar prions’ that are not each other’s closest relatives:

Then there were eight: Te Papa research reveals yet another species of prion
https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2022/09/28/then-there-were-eight-te-papa-research-reveals-yet-another-species-of-prion/?mc_cid=0613ac53bb&mc_eid=1be474ed85

This research showed that the chunky ‘fulmar’ shaped bill form has evolved twice among prions, and recommended that the Pyramid prion be recognised as a full species (confined as a breeding species to The Pyramid and the Forty-fours in the Chatham Islands). The paper also concluded that the ‘fulmar’ prions that breed on Heard Island (Australian territory) in the southern Indian Ocean are actually fairy prions. This means that New Zealand has gained two endemic species (fulmar prion – breeding on Snares, Bounty and Auckland Islands – and Pyramid prion), and Australia has lost a breeding species.

In summary, the Te Papa team suggest that eight species and two subspecies of prions be recognised, and that all are known or likely to occur in New Zealand:
• Broad-billed prion Pachyptila vittata
• MacGillivray’s prion Pachyptila macgillivrayi
• Salvin’s prion Pachyptila salvini
• Antarctic prion Pachyptila desolata
• Thin-billed prion Pachyptila belcheri
• Pyramid prion Pachyptila pyramidalis (Chatham Islands only)
• Fairy prion Pachyptila turtur turtur
o Subantarctic fairy prion Pachyptila turtur eatoni (Antipodes, Heard, Kerguelen, and Falkland Islands)
• Fulmar prion Pachyptila crassirostris crassirostris (Bounty and Snares Islands)
o Lesser fulmar prion Pachyptila crassirostris flemingi (Auckland Islands only)

The full paper can be accessed here:
Genomic analyses of fairy and fulmar prions (Procellariidae: Pachyptila spp.) reveals parallel evolution of bill morphology, and multiple species
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0275102

Recognising ten prion taxa (and eight species) as valid taxonomic entities is one thing - recognising them in the hand or in the field (other than by genetic comparisons) is the next challenge!

Ngā mihi
Colin
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Michael Szabo
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Re: More prion confusion

Postby Michael Szabo » Mon Oct 24, 2022 7:40 am

DOC have posted this cool photo of a Pyramid Prion via Facebook, taken by Dave Boyle:
https://scontent.fpmr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=635A578B
'Birds New Zealand' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Birdsnewzealand
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Richard_Jones
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Re: More prion confusion

Postby Richard_Jones » Mon Oct 24, 2022 9:32 am

Thanks Colin for that superb overview on species of prions.

And, yes, Michael, that is a superb photo of a Pyramid Prion.

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