Bird Hanuman Plover DNA Sequencing Proves Designation as Species, Sparks Studies on Misidentified Subspecies

The Hanuman plover was found to be a distinct species, not a subspecies, according to the most recent DNA analysis.

Further research into potentially misidentified subspecies has been sparked by this.

A resident shorebird found in Southern India and Sri Lanka, Charadrius seebohmi, had its identity reduced to a subspecies of a common migratory cousin, the Kentish Plover, or Charadrius alexandrinus, almost a century ago.

This particular merger occurred in the 1930s, a time when it was common practice to group similar-looking bird taxa together.

Hanuman Plover and DNA Sequencing

But about 86 years later, the bird known as the "Hanuman plover" has finally emerged from the shadow of its relative and been reinstated as a species thanks to DNA sequencing's ability to tell species apart despite minute differences.

The genetic differences between the populations of Kentish plovers living in Asia, Europe, and the Americas were first discovered in a 2009 research paper.

These discoveries not only resulted in the recovery of the Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus) but also ignited a hunt for other living species that were mistakenly thought to be subspecies.

These investigations led researchers to Charadrius Seebohmi, another promising candidate.

The measurements and samples collected from specimens in a museum and those from wild birds were compared, and the researchers found several morphological and genetic differences between the two birds.

Differences Between Two Bird Species

The South Indian or South Asian, and Sri Lankan populations initially had smaller wings, tails, and beaks, as well as different-colored plumage.

Even earlier in the year than their European counterparts, they underwent molting, the process of losing and growing new feathers.

Furthermore, the South Asian taxon split from the Kentish plovers about 1.2 million years ago, as evidenced by their genetic differences.

These two species may have diverged as a result of environmental stresses during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition when declining atmospheric carbon dioxide levels altered the timing of the Ice Ages and had an impact on global sea levels, the Deccan Herald reported.

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Naming a New Species

The Hanuman plover was chosen as the new common name for the restored species, while the Latin name was determined by scientific naming conventions.

These birds are known as Hanuman Olaviya in Sinhala. While small shorebirds are commonly referred to as "Olaviya" by coastal communities, the term "Hanuman" comes from the bird's typical habitat, a chain of arid islands stretching from Mannar to Rameswaram in the Palk Strait.

These islands are referred to as Rama's Bridge in common parlance, and they have cultural and mythological significance connected to the Hindu God Hanuman.

Hanuman plovers can also be seen playing around the dry lowlands in the Hambantota districts, Putlum, Jaffna, and the southeast coast of India.

These biodiverse habitats offer crucial locations for migratory birds to spend the winter.

To shift the necessary attention to the region's threatened wetlands and habitats that are at risk, researchers are hoping to revive the species and rename the bird.

By doing so, the research team hopes to increase the species' visibility among policymakers and conservationists, The Weather Channel reported.

This study by Liu and several other colleagues was published in the journal Ibis.