Biodiversity Observations http://bo.adu.org.za An electronic journal published by the Animal Demography Unit at the University of Cape Town The scope of Biodiversity Observations consists of papers describing observations about biodiversity in general, including animals, plants, algae and fungi. This includes observations of behaviour, breeding and flowering patterns, distributions and range extensions, foraging, food, movement, measurements, habitat and colouration/plumage variations. Biotic interactions such as pollination, fruit dispersal, herbivory and predation fall within the scope, as well as the use of indigenous and exotic species by humans. Observations of naturalised plants and animals will also be considered. Biodiversity Observations will also publish a variety of other interesting or relevant biodiversity material: reports of projects and conferences, annotated checklists for a site or region, specialist bibliographies, book reviews and any other appropriate material. Further details and guidelines to authors are on this website. Paper Editor: Les G. Underhill OVERVIEW OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE WEAVERS H. Dieter Oschadleus Recommended citation format: Oschadleus HD 2016. Overview of the discovery of the weavers. Biodiversity Observations 7. 92: 1–15. URL: http://bo.adu.org.za/content.php?id=285 Published online: 13 December 2016 – ISSN 2219-0341 – Biodiversity Observations 7.92: 1–15 1 TAXONOMY Currently, 117 living species of weavers in the Ploceidae family are recognised. Hoyo et al. OVERVIEW OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE WEAVERS (2010) listed 116 species but Safford & Hawkins (2013) split the Aldabra Fody Foudia H. Dieter Oschadleus aldabrana from the Red- headed Fody Foudia Animal Demography Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, eminentissima. Dickinson & University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701 South Africa Christidis (2014) also listed 117 species. * Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract Study area and methods There are 117 living species of weavers in the Ploceidae family. These For each species text on the Fig. 1. Black-winged Bishop, figure from were formally described over the period 1758 to 1990, but some web series, the following Swainson (1837). weavers were known long before Linnaeus. The largest number of information was searched for in weaver species described per decade was in the 1880s (n=13) and the literature, and to a lesser 1890s (n=11). Most weaver species were described from Angola and extent, type specimens were viewed in museums: South Africa (n=15 for both). Most weavers were described by Reichenow (n=10) and by Linnaeus (n=9). Where the collector is Introduction known, most weaver types were collected by Sir Andrew Smith (n=6) Scientific citation and Jean Perrein (both n=5). Most collectors were British (28) or Meaning of names – primarily from (Jobling 1991). German (n=17). Most weaver descriptions appeared in Ibis (n=10). First English name Alternate names Introduction Collector Date collected This paper is based on the second Weaver Wednesday series, called Locality collected Discovery. It started on 17 September 2014, with the first weaver to Type specimens be described, the Black-winged Bishop (Fig. 1), and ran in chronological sequence for 117 weeks, ending with Kilombero Weaver The first published illustration that was found for each species was on 7 December 2016. This paper provides an overview of these shown in the series. species texts, and lists the species with some summary information in Appendix 1. The sequence is chronological by date of publication, and where more than one species was described in a single publication, the sequence – ISSN 2219-0341 – Biodiversity Observations 7.92: 1–15 2 is in order of appearance. For instance, the first five weavers to be except that the weavers have a higher rate of species descriptions described were in Linnaeus (1758) with Black-winged Bishop on from 1880 to 1909. These weavers seem to largely be range restricted p. 173, Black-breasted Weaver on p. 175, etc. species. They are species 76 to 105 in Appendix 1. Results and Discussion Authors Discovery period The weavers were described by 49 authors (counting first authors only, where more than one was involved; Table 1). Most weavers were The weavers were formally described over the period 1758 to 1990, described by Reichenow (n=10), followed by Linnaeus (n=9) and but some weavers were known long before Linnaeus. The highest Hartlaub (n=8). Most authors were British (16), followed by German number of weaver species described per decade was in the 1880s (n=13) and American (n=5). (n=13) and 1890s (n=11) (Fig. 2). Most weavers were described by 1910, with 0, 1 or 2 being described per decade thereafter. Collectors The number of weavers described per decade resembles the overall There were at least 75 different collectors, with up to 8 unknown pattern of new birds being described (based on Pimm et al. 2006), collectors. Most weavers were collected by Sir Andrew Smith (n=6), who also described many weaver species, followed by Jean Perrein 14 1200 (n=5) and José Alberto de Oliveira Anchieta (n=4). Most collectors were British (28), German (n=17) and French (n=13). Twenty 12 1000 collectors provided the primary specimen for at least two valid weaver Weavers species (Table 2). 10 All birds 800 Countries 8 600 Weaver species were first described from 34 different countries, 6 including four Asian countries. Most weaver species were described 400 4 from Angola and South Africa (n=15 weavers in each country), followed by Tanzania and Senegal (8 each). 2 200 0 0 1750177017901810183018501870189019101930195019701990 Fig. 2. Number of weavers (Red) described per decade, and number of birds (Blue, axis on right) described per decade. – ISSN 2219-0341 – Biodiversity Observations 7.92: 1–15 3 n First author Wikipedia summary Table 1. Number of valid weaver species described per first author (country and profession is based on Wikipedia where available, else on other 1 Elgood English Professor of Zoology sources). 1 Elliot American zoologist 1 Grant British ornithologist and collector n First author Wikipedia summary 1 Heuglin German explorer and ornithologist 10 Reichenow German ornithologist and herpetologist 1 Horsfield American physician and naturalist 9 Linnaeus Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist 1 Hume English civil servant and ornithologist 8 Hartlaub German physician and ornithologist 1 Isert German botanist 7 Sharpe English zoologist 1 Latham English physician, naturalist and author 6 Smith Scottish surgeon and naturalist 1 Louette Belgian ornithologist 6 Vieillot French ornithologist 1 Newton A English zoologist and ornithologist 5 Cassin American ornithologist 1 Newton E British colonial administrator and ornithologist 5 Shelley English geologist and ornithologist 1 Reichenbach German botanist and ornithologist 4 Bocage Portuguese zoologist and politician 1 Ridgway American ornithologist 4 Gmelin German naturalist 1 Rothschild British banker, politician, and zoologist 4 Rüppell German naturalist and explorer 1 Salvadori Italian zoologist and ornithologist 3 Bonaparte French biologist and ornithologist 1 Sassi Austrian zoologist 3 Cabanis German ornithologist 1 Sclater British zoologist and museum director 3 Daudin French zoologist 1 Scopoli Italian physician and naturalist 2 Boddaert Dutch physician and naturalist 1 Sparrman Swedish naturalist 2 Chapin American ornithologist 1 Statius Müller German zoologist 2 Fischer German African explorer 1 Sundevall Swedish zoologist 2 Gray English zoologist and author 1 Swainson English ornithologist 2 Lichtenstein German physician etc 1 Verheyen Belgian ornithologist 1 Baker English ornithologist 1 Vigors Irish zoologist and politician 1 Büttikofer Swiss zoologist 1 Wolters German ornithologist 1 Clarke English soldier and naturalist 1 Cretzschmar German physician 1 Dubois Belgian naturalist – ISSN 2219-0341 – Biodiversity Observations 7.92: 1–15 4 Table 2. Collectors who collected the primary specimen for at least two valid Journals weaver species (country and profession is based on Wikipedia where available, else on other sources). Most weaver descriptions appeared in Ibis (n=10), followed by Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club and Systema Naturae (n=9 each). n Collector Wikipedia summary 6 Smith Scottish surgeon and naturalist Illustrations 5 Perrein French Sometimes there was an illustration of the weaver with its first formal 4 Anchieta Portuguese explorer and naturalist description. In a few cases, well known weavers were illustrated much 3 Jackson English administrator, explorer and ornithologist earlier, and Linnaeus based his description on that illustration, e.g. 3 Pasha Ottoman-German physician, naturalist, and governor Black-breasted Weaver, which had been illustrated by Albin in 1738. 3 Rüppell German naturalist and explorer In other cases the first illustration of a new weaver appeared many years after it was first described. The greatest interval appears to be 3 Sonnerat French naturalist and explorer for the Seychelles Fody – it was described in 1867, and the earliest 3 Weiss [German] doctor and collector published illustration I have found is in 1960 (only of the bill, although 2 Adanson French naturalist of Scottish descent some line drawings appeared in the following years). 2 Bates American naturalist 2 Delbrück German 2 Fischer German African explorer 2 Fülleborn Prussian physician 2 Harris English military engineer, artist and hunter 2 Poivre French horticulturist 2 Rivoli French amateur ornithologist