Corypha (bird)

Corypha
Cape clapper lark (Amirafra apiata marjoriae)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Alaudidae
Genus: Corypha
Gray, GR, 1840
Type species
Alauda apiata
Cape clapper lark
Vieillot, 1816

Corypha is a genus of larks in the family Alaudidae. These species were formerly placed in the genus Mirafra. They are widely distributed in open savannah-type habitats across sub-Saharan Africa.

Taxonomy

A 2023 molecular phylogenetic study of the lark family Alaudidae by the Swedish ornithologist Per Alström and his collaborators found that the genus Mirafra contained deep internal genetic divergences. They therefore split Mirafra into four genera, each corresponding to a major clade. For one of these clades they resurrected the genus Corypha that had originally been introduced in 1840 by the English zoologist George Gray with Alauda apiata Vieillot, 1816, the Cape clapper lark, as the type species. The name Corypha is from Ancient Greek κορυφος/koruphos, an unknown bird mentioned by the Greek author Hesychius of Alexandria that is usually assumed to be a lark.

A comprehensive integrated study of the genus, published in 2024, combined analyses of the plumage, morphology, vocalization and phylogenetics. This led to a substantial revision of the specific boundaries and an increase in the number of recognised species.

The phylogeny shown below is based on the 2024 study by Per Alström and collaborators.

Corypha

Cape clapper lark (Corypha apiata)

Eastern clapper lark (Corypha fasciolata)

Highland lark (Corypha kurrae)

Plains lark (Corypha kaballi)

Plateau lark (Corypha nigrescens)

Rufous-naped lark (Corypha africana)

Sentinel lark (Corypha athi)

Somali lark (Corypha somalica)

Red-winged lark (Corypha hypermetra)

Kidepo lark (Corypha kidepoensis)

Russet lark (Corypha sharpii)

The genus contains the following eleven species:

ImageCommon nameScientific nameDistribution
Cape clapper larkCorypha apiataSouthwest Namibia and west South Africa (nominate); southwest South Africa (subspecies marjoriae).
Eastern clapper larkCorypha fasciolata (split from C. apiata)Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa.
Kidepo larkCorypha kidepoensis (split from C. hypermetra)South Sudan and Uganda.
Red-winged larkCorypha hypermetraEthiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Highland larkCorypha kurrae (split from C. africana)Guinea to southwest Ivory Coast; central Nigeria to southeast Niger and west Chad; central north Cameroon; west Cameroon; and west Sudan.
Rufous-naped larkCorypha africanaMany parts of sub-Saharan Africa, with a very large but discontinuous range.
Sentinel larkCorypha athi (split from C. africana)Kenya and Tanzania.
Plains larkCorypha kabalii (split from C. africana)Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, and northwest Zambia.
Plateau larkCorypha nigrescens (split from C. africana)East Zambia, north Malawi, and south Tanzania.
Russet larkCorypha sharpii (split from C. africana)Somalia.
Somali larkCorypha somalicaEndemic to Somalia.

References

  1. ↑ Alström, P.; Mohammadi, Z.; Enbody, E.D.; Irestedt, M.; Engelbrecht, D.; Crochet, P.-A.; Guillaumet, A.; Rancilhac, L.; Tieleman, B.I.; Olsson, U.; Donald, P.F.; Stervander, M. (2023). "Systematics of the avian family Alaudidae using multilocus and genomic data". Avian Research. 14 100095. doi:10.1016/j.avrs.2023.100095. hdl:11370/bca6ef93-5fe0-40f0-8354-558e15c425fd.
  2. 1 2 3 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Nicators, Bearded Reedling, larks". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  3. ↑ Gray, George Robert (1840). A List of the Genera of Birds: with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 48.
  4. ↑ Jobling, James A. "Corypha". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  5. 1 2 Alström, P.; Mohammadi, Z.; Donald, P.F.; Nymark, M.; Enbody, E.D.; Irestedt, M.; Elisha, E.B.; Ndithia, H.K.; Tieleman, B.I.; Engelbrecht, D.; Olsson, U.; Rancilhac, L.; Stervander, M. (2024). "Integrative taxonomy reveals unrecognised species diversity in African Corypha larks (Aves: Alaudidae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 200 (4): 1080–1108. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad107. hdl:11370/4223d673-4ece-4b55-8be0-2bca4784c33c.