Author Institution: Department of Zoology and Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus 1

Glenny, Fred H.

The Ohio Journal of Science

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THE PROBLEM OF SPECIFIC AND SUBSPECIFIC STATUS ANDMORPHOLOGIC DEVIATION IN THE ANCIENT MURRELETSYNTHLIBORHAMPHUS ANTIQUUS (GMELINyFRED H. GLENNYDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus 10The characteristics which are used to designate a species or subspecies andthe limits of structure and coloration which may be reasonably employed arepoints of concern to the taxonomist, systematic zoologist, and geneticist.It has long been the practice among systematists to accord at least subspecificor variety rank to different color or even geographic variants. In the laboratory,these variants from the normal color are frequently referred to as strains—largelybecause their antecedents are known. This frequently is not the case with wildspecies. As a result, not infrequently minor differences in hair or feather colorationhave resulted in separation of a species into two or more subspecies. Such differ-ences have value largely in allocating forms to various regions or areas, or as insome instances to special ecological niches, but do not indicate important structuralchanges in the organism. Furthermore, individuals which are located near theperiphery of their distribution, and adjacent to other subspecies of the sameorganism, may be indistinct from the peripheral population of the adjacent sub-species, with resultant difficulty of determining the different intergrades. Evenmorphologic characteristics which are reasonably constant in individuals at ornear the center of a subspecies population do not necessarily hold for forms through-out the range of distribution—this may be due to variation within a communityover a prolonged period of time. This tends to create difficulties in making discretesubspecific determinations.On the other hand, when a structural difference, within an otherwise establishedspecies, does occur and in sufficient numbers to become established in a population,then should this distinctly different morphologic type not be recognized andaccorded subspecific rank in the same way as are differences in hair and feathercolor or pattern? While it is true that skins constitute reasonably good referencematerials for subsequent study, anatomical materials can also be preserved forreference or later study. In any event, a constant morphologic characteristic isstill an important factor in species evolution and designation just as are colors andpatterns of feathers and hair.In a recent study of alcohol-preserved specimens (U. S. National Museum)of Synthliborhamphus, S. wumizusume (Temminck) was found to be bicarotidinaenormales, but dissection of 5. antiquus (Gmelin) revealed two morphologic types.Two specimens of S. antiquus were bicarotidinae normales (fig. 1), while fivespecimens were laevocarotidinae (fig. 2). The normally expected arrangement-pattern for the Alcidae is bicarotidinae normales as in the other Charadriiformes(Glenny, 1947, 1948). As a result, the laevo-carotidinae condition is an importantdeviate from the normal ordinal pattern.Reference to collecting sites showed that two of the laevocarotidinae specimenscame from widely separated regions (Sitka Bay and Amak Island). The rest ofthe specimens which were examined were collected in "Alaska," but no specificlocation was designated.Contribution from the Ohio Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit.THE OHIO JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 52(4): 221, July, 1952.222 FRED H. GLENNY Vol. LIISpecimens of S. wumizusume were collected in Nagasaki Harbor, 30 May 1881.The breeding range for this species is given as the Seven Islands, Japan; andrecorded from Sakhalin, Hokkaido, Hondo, Kiusiu and Korea (Peters, 1934).In contrast, S. antiquus has a more extensive range, breeding on the coastof Amurland, Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Kurile, Commander and Aleutian Islands,Kodiak Island and locally south to Sangar Island in the Queen Charlotte Group;and wintering from the Commander and Aleutian Islands south to the China coast,Japan, and southern California.In a single colony, morphologic deviation might be expected to occur from timeto time, and some of these might become sufficiently well established to be recog-nizable as specific characteristics, but to have the same characteristic becomeestablished in a population of such extensive breeding range as S. antiquus, andto be able to observe the same variation in forms from widely separated areas ofthe range, presents something more of a problem in speciation than is presentedDiagram of the main arteries of the neck and thorax—ventral view.FIGURE 1.FIGURE 2.FIGURE 3.Synthliboramphus antiquus B.Synthliboramphus antiquus L.Synthliboramphus wumizusume.KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS1. aortic root2. innominate arteries3. right systemic (4th aortic) arch4. right radix aortae5. ligamentum aortae6. sterno-tracheal artery7. pulmonary artery8. common carotid artery9. subclavian artery10. coracoid major artery11. axillary artery12.13.14.15.16.18.19.20.21.22.intercostal arterypectoral arteriesductus shawisyringo-tracheal arterythyroid arteryvertebral arterysuperficial cervical arteryaccessory cervical arteryinternal carotid (trunk) arteryaccessory vertebral arteryNo. 4 STATUS OF MURRELET 223by chance variation within a more restricted breeding area such as might occurwithin a community or within a colony.It is suggested, therefore, that these two morphologic types be temporarilydesignated on the basis of the presence of two carotid arteries—bicarotidinaenormales—as S. antiquus B and one (left) carotid artery—laevo-carotidinae—asS. antiquus L, until such a time as other characters may be established to justifyfurther separation of these forms.It is suggested that additional studies of the skins of these birds, along withanatomical studies, be carried out in an effort to determine whether or not someexternally visible characteristic can be utilized on which to separate these twoapparent morphologic types.The writer is convinced that internal structural differences are significant andimportant in the ultimate designation of specific differences and characteristicsjust as are externally visible characters of hair and feather coloration and design.The writer wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Herbert Friedmann, Curatorof Birds, U. S. National Museum, for his help in making this study possible.REFERENCESGlenny, F. H. 1947. A systematic study of the main arteries in the region of the heart.AVES XVI. Charadriiformes, Part 1. Ohio Jour. Sci., 47: 152-154.. 1948. . . . AVES XVI. Charadriiformes, Part 2. Ohio Jour. Sci., 48: 194-198.Peters, J. L. 1934. Check-list of Birds of the World. Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge,Mass. (Vol. II, p. 356).

The Problem of Specific and Subspecific Status and Morphologic Deviation in the Ancient Murrelet Synthliborhamphus Antiquus (Gmelin)

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The Problem of Specific and Subspecific Status and Morphologic Deviation in the Ancient Murrelet Synthliborhamphus Antiquus (Gmelin)

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