Parus

Eck, Siegfried, 2006, The Palaearctic Titmouse Species (Aves: Paridae: Parus sensu lato) — A current survey *, Zootaxa 1325, pp. 7-54 : 19-20

2. Parus [m.] minor

Opinions about the conspecifity of the major and minor Great Tits have changed according to the evaluation of the situation in the Amur contact region. A very recent analysis ( Päckert et al. 2005) makes a species difference seem likely. — This group (P4) is altogether quite nonuniform: just compare tibetanus with okinawae! It is not known how different from one another the individual taxa within minor s.l. really are! The paper by Päckert et al. (2005) likewise suggests granting species status to the cinereus group as well, although commixtus has always been regarded as a mixed population comprising representatives of both groups (more precisely, only two neighbouring subspecies). This is concluded from a high cyt­ b distance, but not from observations in a contact region. — P. m. nigriloris Hellmayr (1900) of Ishigaki (also on Iriomote) is about as small and roundwinged as okinawae (cf. Eck 1977: 209), but lacks the lipochrome; Figs. in Kuroda (1925, Plate II, Figs. 5, 6 nigriloris, 7 okinawae).

P. minor wladiwostokensis KLEINSCHMIDT, 1913 [Vladivostok]; P. minor minor TEMMINCK & SCHLEGEL, 1848 [ Japan, cf. Morioka et al. 2005: 87]; P. minor artatus THAYER & BANGS, 1909 [Yichang, Hubei]; P. minor subtibetanus KLEINSCHMIDT & WEIGOLD, 1922 [Tatsienlu (Kangding)]; P. minor tibetanus HARTERT, 1905 [Chaksam, Tsangpo Valley/Tibet]; P. minor amamiensis KLEINSCHMIDT, 1922 [Amami­Oshima/N Riu­kiu islands]; P. minor okinawae HARTERT,1905 [Okinawa, C Riu­kiu islands]; P. minor nigriloris HELLMAYR, 1900 [Ishigaki, S Riu­kiu islands]; P. minor dageletensis KURODA & MORI, 1920 [Dagelet island (Ullyngdo)].

The population groups: P 4 wladiwostokensis, minor , artatus, subtibetanus, tibetanus,

amamiensis, dageletensis, kagoshimae, okinawae; E and C Asia. – Fig. Quinn: Plate 27:

85 f–j, l, in part.

* Variable extent of white on the tail feathers and of the dorsal green. — Relative wing length and relative tail length, P. minor wladiwostokensis has longer wings and a somewhat longer tail than the ssp. minor . In the south of the area wings are longer (tibetanus up to 82 mm). On the islands, small and dark. — Compared to P 3 relatively long­tailed, up to 95 % vs 90 %.

P 5 nigriloris; Iriomote, Ishigaki. — Fig. Quinn: Plate 27: 85 k.

* No lipochrome, blue back, tail feather R6 with white spot at tip, small (1 ♂ 69 mm [type], 2 ΨΨ 62 and 65 mm wing length).