Geospiza conirostris

Geospiza conirostris (*)

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Passeroidea

Familia: Thraupidae
Genus: Geospiza
Species: Geospiza conirostris

Dubious taxon: G. c. darwini

Name

Geospiza conirostris Ridgway, 1890

Type locality: Española Island (former Hood), Galapagos Islands.

References
Primary references

Ridgway, R. 1889. Scientific results of explorations by the US Fish Comission Steamer Albatross. No. 1. Birds collected on the Galapagos Islands in 1888. Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 12 no.767: 101–128. Government Printing Office. Washington [1890]. BHL Reference page. Original description p. 106 BHL

Additional references

Lamichhaney, S., Berglund, J., Sällman Almén, M., Maqbool, K., Grabherr, M., Martinez-Barrio, A., Promerová, M., Rubin, C.J., Wang, C., Zamani, N., Grant, B.R., Grant, P.R., Webster, M.T. & Andersson, L. 2015. Evolution of Darwin’s finches and their beaks revealed by genome sequencing. Nature 518: 371–375. DOI: 10.1038/nature14181 Full article (PDF) Reference page.

Links

IUCN: Geospiza conirostris (Vulnerable)

Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Groot kaktusgrondvink
asturianu: Geospiza conirostris
български: Голяма кактусова чинка
català: Pinsà de les Galápagos de bec cònic
Cebuano: Geospiza conirostris
Cymraeg: Pila daear pigfawr
Deutsch: Opuntien-Grundfink
English: Española cactus finch
español: pinzón de Darwin conirrostro
فارسی: سهره کاکتوسی بزرگ
suomi: Isokaktussirkku
français: Géospize à bec conique
עברית: פרוש קקטוס גדול
magyar: Nagy kaktuszpinty
日本語: オオサボテンフィンチ
Nederlands: Españolagrondvink
русский: Большой кактусовый земляной вьюрок
svenska: españoladarwinfink
中文: 大仙人掌地雀

The Española cactus finch (Geospiza conirostris), is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is one of Darwin's finches, and is endemic to the Galápagos islands, where it is restricted to Española, Genovesa, and the Darwin and Wolf Islands. This rather dark bird resembles the smaller and finer-beaked common cactus finch, but the two species do not co-inhabit any island.

Its natural habitat is dry shrubland and it is commonly seen on the ground. Its main food source is the cactus Opuntia.
Taxonomy

The Española cactus finch is one of Darwin's finches, a group of closely related birds that evolved on the Galápagos Islands. The group is related to the Tiaris grassquits, which are found in South America and the Caribbean.[2] An ancestral relative of those grassquits arrived on the Galápagos Islands some 2–3 million years ago, and the Española cactus finch is one of the species that evolved from that ancestor.[3]

From a study done in 2015, the Española cactus finch (G. conirostris) of Española was found to be a sister to the large ground finch, not to the Genovesa cactus finch.[4] The International Ornithologists' Union has changed the taxonomy based on the study. Other taxonomic authorities have kept the large cactus finch and the Genovesa cactus finch conspecific.
Genetic speciation

The Española cactus finch (G. conirostris) first arrived in Daphne Major in 1981, when it was observed to be a newcomer by Peter and Rosemary Grant. This has enabled scientists to trace changes in its genome: it originally interbred with local finches (G. fortis) but has ceased to do so in later generations. The new descendants have become a distinct species. It is the first example of speciation to be directly observed by scientists in the field.[5] Subsequent genetic research suggests that genes for beak shape (ALX1) and beak size (HMGA2) may be crucial in separating the hybridized species from local finches. Genes relating to the finches' song may also be involved.[6][7]
Description

The Española cactus finch is among the largest of the Darwin's finches, measuring 15 cm (5.9 in) in length. The male is black, with white-tipped undertail coverts. Female and immature birds range in color from dull gray to matte black, and frequently show white edges to the feathers of their underparts.[8]

References

BirdLife International (2020). "Geospiza conirostris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T103815509A182514440. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T103815509A182514440.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Newton, Ian (2003). Speciation and Biogeography of Birds. San Diego, CA, USA: Academic Press. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-12-517375-9.
Grant & Grant (2008), p. 25.
Lamichhaney, Sangeet; Berglund, Jonas; Almén, Markus Sällman; Maqbool, Khurram; Grabherr, Manfred; Martinez-Barrio, Alvaro; Promerová, Marta; Rubin, Carl-Johan; Wang, Chao; Zamani, Neda; Grant, B. Rosemary; Grant, Peter R.; Webster, Matthew T.; Andersson, Leif (February 2015). "Evolution of Darwin's finches and their beaks revealed by genome sequencing". Nature. 518 (7539): 371–375. doi:10.1038/nature14181. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 25686609. S2CID 4462253. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
Galloway, Rory (23 November 2017). "Galapagos finches caught in act of becoming new species". BBC News. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
Holmes, Bob (10 February 2022). "Learning about birds from their genomes". Knowable Magazine. doi:10.1146/knowable-021022-1. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
Lamichhaney, Sangeet; Han, Fan; Webster, Matthew T.; Andersson, Leif; Grant, B. Rosemary; Grant, Peter R. (12 January 2018). "Rapid hybrid speciation in Darwin's finches". Science. 359 (6372): 224–228. doi:10.1126/science.aao4593. PMID 29170277. S2CID 206663426.

Swash, Andy; Still, Rob (2005). Birds, Mammals, and Reptiles of the Galápagos Islands: An Identification Guide (2nd ed.). London, UK: Christopher Helm. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-300-11532-1.

Cited works
Grant, Peter R.; Grant, B. Rosemary (2008). How and Why Species Multiply: The Radiation of Darwin's Finches. Princeton, NJ, USA: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-13360-7.
Jobling, James A. (2010). Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, UK: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.