Vol. 45 No. 2, 2006

Taxonomic Status of Populations of the Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis (Gmelin, 1789) (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae) in Taiwan and the Southern Ryukyus

Takeshi Yamasaki

Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, 115 Konoyama, Abiko, Chiba 270-1145, Japan

Takeshi Yamasaki (2006) Populations of the Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis (Gmelin, 1789) from continental China, Taiwan, and the southern Ryukyus were compared on the basis of 3 color and 6 morphometric characters in 177 specimens. The Taiwanese sample markedly differed from the other samples. It showed less-distinct yellow streaks on the abdomen, a wider white nape patch, and longer hind claws. On the other hand, samples from continental China and the southern Ryukyus did not mutually differ in any examined characters. For that reason, I recognized P. s. formosae Hartert, 1910 from Taiwan as a valid subspecies, whereas P. s. orii Kuroda, 1923 from the southern Ryukyus was regarded as a junior synonym of the nominotypical subspecies from continental China. Pycnonotus s. hainanus (Swinhoe, 1870) from the southernmost part of continental China and Hainan I. was retained as a 3rd subspecies. It clearly differs from the others in having no white feathers on the nape.

Key words: Pycnonotus sinensis, Subspecies classification, Plumage color, Morphometrics.

*Correspondence: Tel: 81-4-71821101. Fax: 81-4-71821106. E-mail: takeshi@zoo.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp