Scientists have discovered a new species of bird on the Japanese islands through genetic analysis
A new species of migratory bird has been officially identified in Japan—the Tokara Warbler (Phylloscopus tokaraensis)—which for decades was mistakenly believed to be part of another population.
The Daily Galaxy reports on this.
This is the first discovery of a new bird species in the country since 1982, made possible only through the use of modern DNA sequencing methods.
For a long time, scientists believed that only a single species—the Izu Warbler—inhabited the Izu and Tokara Islands.
The external resemblance of these birds is so striking that traditional classification methods did not allow for the suspicion of the existence of two distinct biological groups.
The situation changed radically when researchers applied genomic tools to analyze the populations.
The results of the study, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, revealed deep genetic differences between birds from different island groups that had accumulated over a long period of time.
The first signs of species-level differences emerged about ten years ago during preliminary DNA analyses.
This prompted scientists to conduct a large-scale study that included both field observations and the examination of specimens from museum collections around the world.
“This shows how important it is to use genetic methods to uncover hidden biodiversity in times of a global biodiversity crisis. These methods can help provide a more comprehensive understanding on which future conservation efforts will be based,” noted Professor Per Alström of Uppsala University.
Despite their identical appearance, the researchers discovered one significant behavioral difference that had previously been overlooked.
Analysis of acoustic recordings showed that the newly discovered Tokara’s warbler has a significantly simpler vocal pattern than its Izu relative.
As a reminder, Ukraine’s smallest owl has settled in the Chornobyl Nature Reserve.
Ornithologists also stated that the war in Ukraine has affected the migration of eagles.
