CHARADRIIFORMES (GARROD, 1874)

Livezey, Bradley C., 2010, Phylogenetics of modern shorebirds (Charadriiformes) based on phenotypic evidence: analysis and discussion, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 160 (3), pp. 567-618 : 568

OVERVIEW OF CHARADRIIFORMES

The Charadriiformes (excluding the Alcidae , Lari , and controversial Turnicidae ) number 245 ± 15 modern species (conditional on the treatment of controversial species complexes and the concept of species), and most included taxa generally are deemed to be monophyletic ( Ericson et al., 2003; Paton & Baker, 2006; Baker, Pereira & Paton, 2007). Of the member families, much study has been devoted to the wingpropelled diving Alcidae ( Friesen, Baker & Piatt, 1996; Chu, 1998; Kidd & Friesen, 1998; Moum, Arnason & Arnason, 2002; Pereira & Baker, 2008), and the comparatively conspicuous Lari – gulls and allies ( Andersson, 1999; Crochet, Lebreton & Bonhomme, 2002, 2003; Bridge, Jones & Baker, 2005; Gay, Bell & Crochet, 2005). These five principally marine families include the largest members of the order – sheathbills ( Chionididae ), auks ( Alcidae ), jaegers and skuas ( Stercorariidae ), gulls and terns ( Laridae ), and skimmers ( Rynchopidae ) – and closely resemble in content the ‘ Laro-Limicoloe ’ of Lowe (1925). These families are generally considered to be a monophyletic subgroup of the Charadriiformes ( Shufeldt, 1893a, b, 1901a), and constitute the sister group of all but the most basal of charadriiform families ( Livezey & Zusi, 2007).

The Lari are comparatively speciose in temperate and tropical zones, and are typified by piscivorous diets secured through aerial plunges, submarine pursuit, or terrestrial scavenging. Monophyly of this assemblage is perhaps the point of strongest agreement for the order, but the position of this subgroup within the Charadriiformes and the relationships among its members remain unclear (e.g. Sears, Moseley & Mueller, 1976; Ericson et al., 2003; Thomas et al., 2004a, b; Paton & Baker, 2006; Baker et al., 2007; Livezey & Zusi, 2007: fig. 15). At lower taxonomic levels, problems remain unresolved for diverse reasons, e.g. complex patterns of molt for the Laridae ( Chu, 1994, 1998; Pons, Hassanin & Crochet, 2005), and geographically variable polymorphism of definitive plumages for the Stercorariidae ( Braun & Brumfield, 1998; Andersson, 1999; Ritz et al., 2008).

The remaining ‘wading’ families, typified by terrestrial foraging for sessile, fossorial invertebrates or less commonly mobile (terrestrial, aerial, or natatorial) insects, approach synonymy for the Charadriiformes for many (e.g. Kozlova, 1961), as indicated by the vernacular name ‘shorebirds’ for a diverse order of which these families are but a vaguely delimited subpart. These families include a diversity of wading and meadow species, and were assigned at the close of the 19 th century to the ‘ Limicoloe ’ ( Gadow, 1889, 1892; Sharpe, 1891), the monotypic type genus of which pertains to the broad-billed sandpiper ( Limicola falcinellus ).