Extreme mitogenomic divergence between two syntopic specimens of Arremon aurantiirostris (Aves: Emberizidae) in central Panama suggests possible cryptic species

Abstract

We report the complete mitochondrial genome of two specimens of Orange-billed Sparrow Arremon aurantiirostris from Colón Province, in central Panama. The two specimens were collected on the same day, and at the same locality; however, they showed substantial divergence (6.3% average pairwise divergence among coding genes). A survey of ND2 sequence variation across Panama suggests that this divergence is the result of geographic differentiation and secondary contact. This high level of mitochondrial divergence among co-occurring individuals raises the possibility of multiple biological species in Orange-billed Sparrows. Our results are yet another demonstration that much remains to be discovered regarding avian biodiversity in Panama and throughout the Neotropics.

• Mitogenome
• neotropical bird
• secondary contact

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article. This work was funded by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Office of Academic Programs and the Villanova University Biology Department. We thank Panama’s Environmental Ministry (MiAmbiente, formerly ANAM) for continued support of scientific collecting, without which, this study would not have been possible. We thank J. Klicka, G. Spellman, J. DeCosta, P. Guitton for collaboration in the field that was responsible for collecting the specimens used in this study.

Supplementary material available online Supplementary Table 1