Send Orders for Reprints to Reprints@benthamscience.ae Formal Description of a New Subspecies of the European Robin from Gran Canaria Island, Spain (aves: Muscicapidae: Erithacus Rubecula Marionae Subsp. Nov.)

Based on genetic and morphometric differences, Dietzen et al. (2003) [1] proposed to separate the Gran Ca-naria Robin from E. r. superbus of Tenerife as a new taxon in a nomenclaturally invalid way. Here, we provide a formal description of the new subspecies (Erithacus rubecula marionae subsp. nov.) in accordance with the rules of the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature.


INTRODUCTION
Alone among the otherwise Afrotropical subfamily Cossyphinae [2,3], the European Robin Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) is widely distributed in the Western Palearctic and occurs in the northeastern Atlantic as a resident bird on the oceanic archipelagos of the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Azores.Dietzen et al. [1] studied the phylogeography of Robins in the Canary Islands using sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and morphometric data of specimens sampled, measured and then released.After analysis, the populations from the western Canarian islands (La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Palma) were referred to the nominate subspecies, in agreement with earlier authors [4].Rodrigues et al. [5] showed that the populations of the Azores and Madeira too are the result of a fairly recent colonisation.However, the Robins from Tenerife and Gran Canaria, estimated to have arrived there around 1.8 and 2.3 million years ago, respectively, and both assigned to the endemic subspecies E. r. superbus Koenig (1889) [6], were shown to be distinct from the nominate subspecies and from each other in haplotypes, genetic distances and wing shapes.
Based on these differences, Dietzen et al. [1] proposed to separate the Gran Canaria Robin as a new taxon, which was named "Erithacus [rubecula] marionae".
However, an explicit designation of a name-bearing type for this name is missing, and as such the requirements set by Articles 16.4.1,16.4.2and 72.3 of the Code of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature [7] are not fulfilled.Although "marionae" is mentioned several times in subsequent literature, the lack of designated type material has not been noted or addressed, apart from in a pdf published on the internet [8], where it was stated in general *Address correspondence to this author at the Heidelberg University, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, INF 364, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Tel: +49 6221-544881; Fax: 0049 6221-544884; E-mail: wink@uni-heidelberg.de terms "that this name appears not to have been validly introduced".To rectify this situation, and to make the name available for nomenclatural purposes, we herewith propose:
Erithacus superbus (nec Koenig, 1889) -Van Duivendijk 2011: 315 ("Gran Canaria"; no mention of marionae) [22].Diagnosis.-Erithacusrubecula marionae and E. r. superbus are both distinguished from the other subspecies of E. rubecula by the patch on breast and throat deep orangered, eye ring white, forehead and sides of neck grey, and belly white (Figs. 1 and 2).In addition, the tip of the wing is on average shorter and rounded.E. r. marionae differs from E. r. superbus in having the mean length of primaries 1 to 9 shorter, wing-tip shape even more rounded and convex, and mean body length shorter (Table 1, Fig. 3; [1]).Body weights do not differ between Erithacus rubecula marionae and E. r. superbus (15.3 ± 0.9 g and 15.5 ± 2.7 g, respectively; [1]).The Robins of Tenerife shared the same mitochondrial haplotype (except for one specimen from Teide Mountain) which was significantly different from that of Robins from Gran Canaria: nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b differed by 3.7% between E. r. marionae and E. r. superbus [1].Such a difference is quite substantial and often indicative of species level differentiation [23].Therefore, because of morphometric, genetic and distributional differences, Wink [21] even suggested to treat E. marionae as a distinct species.As further study of genetic divergence, using nuclear DNA and additional mtDNA markers, and vocalizations is needed to determine if species status is warranted, we conservatively propose it as a subspecies.Von Thanner [24] hinted at a possible difference in calling behavior when he wrote "Auch gebrauchten alle Vögel auf Gr.Canaria nicht so häufig den Warnungsruf, wie dies speziell die auf Teneriffa tun" (in translation: Also all the birds on Gr.Canaria did not use the alarm-call as frequently as especially the females on Tenerife do).
Distribution.-Island of Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands, Spain.Robins live in laurel and pine forests below 2000 m above sea-level, also in some barrancos (ravines) [13].
Etymology.-Thesubspecific epithet is coined in honour of Mrs. Marion Steinbüchel (born 12-11-1976, in Mannheim, Germany), and is a noun of the first declension in the genitive case, formed from the latinized version of the given name Marion.