Barcoding the Birds of Argentina Darío A. Lijtmaer 1 and Kevin C. R. Kerr 2 1 Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “B. Rivadavia”, Argentina 2 University of Guelph, Canada Saltator aurantiirostris Saltator similis Saltator caerulescens 1 Saltator caerulescens 2

BirdsofArgentina Almost 1000 species 25% of the birds of the Neotropics About 10% of the birds of the world

BirdsofArgentina Representative of the southern cone of South America: 100% of the birds of Uruguay100% of the birds of Uruguay 95% of the birds of Paraguay95% of the birds of Paraguay 85% of the birds of Chile85% of the birds of Chile 52% of the birds of Bolivia52% of the birds of Bolivia 94% of the birds of southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul)94% of the birds of southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul)

BirdsofArgentina

BirdsofArgentina

Barcoding the Birds of Argentina Main objective: to obtain the barcodes of all the species of birds of Argentina by the end of 2008 Additional objectives: Comparison of patterns of COI variation between: Cold temperate and subtropical areas Cold temperate and subtropical areas Northern and southern hemispheres Northern and southern hemispheres High altitude and lowland areas High altitude and lowland areas

Barcoding the Birds of Argentina 2003Tissuecollectionstarted MACN signed the MOC project started samples loaned to Guelph, lab training 2006 Lounsbery Foundation grant 2006 Field trip training samples loaned to Guelph

Collecting trips Tissues and vouchers stored at MACN AATCGATCCTAGTACT CGATCCTAGTACCA Barcoding the Birds of Argentina Sub-samples loaned to Guelph

Barcoding the Birds of Argentina Collecting trips Tissues and vouchers stored at MACN Amplified DNA loaned to Guelph AATCGATCCTAGTACT CGATCCTAGTACCA Samples processed at MACN (extraction and amplification)

Preliminary results Barcodes were obtained for 809 individuals and 316 species (1/3 of the species of Argentina)

The COI sequence was never shared between species Preliminary results COI sequences were obtained for more than one individual in 233 species (74% of the species barcoded). Mean intraspecific distance was 0.28% Mean interspecific distance between species of the same genus was 7.95% (28-fold higher than mean intraspecific distance) 0.23% in North America 7.93% in North America (260 species)

In only 1 pair of species COI distances were not smaller within species than between species Preliminary results Muscisaxicola cinerea Muscisaxicola flavinucha Intraspecific distances: % Interspecific distances: %

Preliminary results In 99% of the species COI clusters did not overlap with those of other species In only 1 pair of species COI distances were not smaller within species than between species For 99% of the species barcoded so far, an individual could be correctly identified based on its COI sequence

Preliminary results 4 other cases in which interspecific distances were lower than 1% Veniliornis frontalis and Veniliornis passerinus Distance: 0.29% Distance: 0.29% Veniliornis frontalis Veniliornis passerinus

Preliminary results 4 other cases in which interspecific distances were lower than 1% Anas puna and Anas versicolor Distance: % Distance: % Anas platalea Anas versicolor 2 Anas puna 1 Anas puna 2 Anas cyanoptera 1 Anas cyanoptera 2 Anas versicolor 1

Preliminary results 4 other cases in which interspecific distances were lower than 1% Anas puna and Anas versicolor Distance: % Distance: % Carduelis crassirostris and Carduelis atrata Distance: % Distance: % Mimus triurus and Mimus dorsalis Distance: % Distance: %

Preliminary results 3 species in which intraspecific distances were higher than 2.8% (10 times mean intraspecific distance) Cistothorus platensis (up to 4.95%) Troglodytes aedon (up to 3.25%) Leptasthenura aegithaloides (up to 3.72%)

Preliminary results In conclusion, our preliminary results suggest that: 1)The COI sequence can be efficiently used for identification purposes 2) At the same time, the use of the COI can be useful to flag interesting species or groups of species 3) Patterns of COI divergence appear to be similar to those obtained for North American birds

Additional benefits of the project DIC 2003 DIC 2004 DIC 2005 DIC DIC 2003 DIC 2004 DIC 2005 DIC 2006 SpecimensSpeciesProjectstarted The project boosted the MACN tissue collection: three times increase in specimens and about two and a half times increase in species during last year. 1) Tissue Collection Projectstarted

Additional advantages of the project 2) Skins and skeletons All tissue samples collected have associated vouchers 3) Certification of the identity of specimens in the collection Barcodes can be used to verify the correct identification of tissue samples, skins and skeletons

Additional advantages of the project 4) Control of legal and illegal trade of bird species Podiceps gallardoi

The future Currently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcodedCurrently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcoded

The future Currently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcodedCurrently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcoded Mid 2007: 50% of the species barcodedMid 2007: 50% of the species barcoded

End of 2007: 70% of the species barcodedEnd of 2007: 70% of the species barcoded The future Currently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcodedCurrently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcoded Mid 2007: 50% of the species barcodedMid 2007: 50% of the species barcoded

End of 2008: 100% of the species barcodedEnd of 2008: 100% of the species barcoded The future Currently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcodedCurrently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcoded Mid 2007: 50% of the species barcodedMid 2007: 50% of the species barcoded End of 2007: 70% of the species barcodedEnd of 2007: 70% of the species barcoded

End of 2008: 100% of the species barcodedEnd of 2008: 100% of the species barcoded The future Currently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcodedCurrently: 33% of the species of Argentina barcoded Mid 2007: 50% of the species barcodedMid 2007: 50% of the species barcoded End of 2007: 70% of the species barcodedEnd of 2007: 70% of the species barcoded Integration of our results with those of other studies undertaken in the Neotropics and in other regions of the world.Integration of our results with those of other studies undertaken in the Neotropics and in other regions of the world.

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