The biogeography of nectarivorous birds in Wallacea: Meliphagidae vs Nectariniidae in the Indonesian archipelagoes east of Wallace's Line and Weber's Line

There are two permanent sea barriers between southeast Asia and first Wallacea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallacea) and then Australasia. The first is called the Wallace Line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Line), and the second is called the Weber Line.

https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/10index/background/biogeography/media/biogeography_lines.html

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/is-north-maluku-part-of-sahul-QsmsUpAKTkyh3O3NMuXHyA

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lydekker#/media/File%3AMap_of_Sunda_and_Sahul.svg

MELIPHAGIDAE (excluding Philemon and Melitograis) OF WALLACEA

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12533-Lichmera-argentaurisWEST OF THE WEBER LINE

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/73083-Myzomela-chloroptera

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/73084-Myzomela-dammermani

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1289511-Myzomela-prawiradilagae

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12412-Myzomela-vulnerata

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12453-Myzomela-blasii

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/786002-Myzomela-irianawidodoae

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12312-Myza-celebensis

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12535-Lichmera-lombokia

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12536-Lichmera-monticola

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12532-Lichmera-squamata

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12537-Lichmera-deningeri

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12534-Lichmera-notabilis

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12538-Lichmera-flavicans

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12315-Myza-sarasinorum

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/73085-Myzomela-wakoloensis

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1263134-Myzomela-wahe

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12416-Myzomela-boiei

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1289522-Territornis-reticulata

MELIPHAGIDAE WEST OF THE WALLACE LINE

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12526-Lichmera-indistincta

The following nectariniids occur in Wallacea:

• Anthreptes malaccensis (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/979598-Anthreptes-malacensis) extends to Sulawesi and the Lesser Sunda islands.
• Aethopyga siparaja (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/204458-Aethopyga-siparaja) extends to Sulawesi.
• Aethopyga duyvenbodei (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13420-Aethopyga-duyvenbodei) occurs on Sangihe, an island located immediately north of Sulawesi.
• Cinnyris ornatus (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1505007-Cinnyris-ornatus) extends to the Lesser Sunda islands (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Sunda_Islands).
• Cinnyris infrenatus (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1505008-Cinnyris-infrenatus) occurs in southeasternmost Sulawesi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wakatobi_Regency).
• Cinnyris teysmanni (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1505012-Cinnyris-teysmanni) occurs on Kalaotoa Island.
• Aethopyga duyvenbodei (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13420-Aethopyga-duyvenbodei) occurs in northeasternmost Sulawesi.
• Cinnyris buettikoferi (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/145195-Cinnyris-buettikoferi) occurs on Sumba Island.
• Cinnyris solaris (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/145196-Cinnyris-solaris) occurs on the Lesser Sunda islands and Timor island.

The following nectariniids occur in Australasia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasia):

• Cinnyris clementei (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1505011-Cinnyris-clementiae) occurs in Maluku.
• Leptocoma aspasia (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/979764-Leptocoma-aspasia) of New Guinea is generalised in diet - with invertebrates and fleshy fruit-pulp apparently being equally important - than its congeners and most other nectariniids.
• Cinnyris fuscatus (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1504995-Cinnyris-frenatus) occurs from Sulawesi through New Guinea (but not the island chain of the Lesser Sundas/Sumba/Timor) to northeastern Australia.

Posted on September 20, 2024 10:20 AM by milewski