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Data and code from: Phylogeny of Pacific starlings (genus Aplonis) reveals cryptic diversity and diverse biogeographic patterns

Gyllenhaal, Ethan123; Sweet, Paul4; Kamminga, Pepijn5; Andersen, Michael3

Published May 25, 2026 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.mkkwh71dd

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Abstract

Pacific island taxa have long informed our understanding of speciation and biogeography. However, until genomic data became commonplace, many explosive radiations have remained unresolved. One underappreciated radiation is of the genus Aplonis, a clade of starlings distributed across the Pacific from continental Sundaland to the far-flung Cook Islands. Of note are the high levels of secondary sympatry in Aplonis relative to other geographic radiations in the region. Here, we attempt to resolve relationships in this group by sampling all extant and three extinct taxa. We sequenced ultraconserved elements from 141 ingroup samples (approximately 2 per subspecies), of which 104 were derived from historic toepad samples. We were able to infer a strongly supported phylogeny, which we used to infer the biogeographic history of the genus. Aplonis, which largely followed two one-way colonization routes via a stepping stone pattern from west to east. However, there was evidence for three independent, long-distance colonizations of Micronesia, and two cases of back-colonization from more distant to more nearby islands. Furthermore, based on patterns of sympatry and rules of monophyly, we found evidence for three species-level splits, including two in the widespread and polyphyletic Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis). Finally, the subspecies-level sampling we performed allowed us to better understand the diversification dynamics in this group, with a stable accumulation of lineages over time when considering species or secondary contact as our operational units.