Ecological Radiation and Social Evolution of Malagasy Endemic Vangas(Aves : Vangidae)

Vangidae是马达加斯加特有的（17种），是适应性辐射最引人注目的例子之一。与形态学和觅食生态学相反，除了棕万加外，对每个物种的交配系统知之甚少。红棕万加有一个合作繁殖系统，年轻的雄性充当帮手。这种合作育种系统是否也存在于其他万加之间，或者这种育种系统是专属于这个群体中的棕万加？这个问题是我们的出发点。我们的研究表明，17个物种中有5个是合作育种者，10个是一夫一妻制物种（两个无法研究）。合作育种并不集中在一个特定的分类组的万加，但发生在干燥的森林。

The family Vangidae is endemic to Madagascar(17 species) and provides one of the most striking examples of adaptive radiation. In contrast to morphology and foraging ecology, little is known about mating system of each species, except for the Rufous Vanga. The Rufous Vanga has a cooperative breeding system that young males act as helpers. Is this cooperative breeding system present among other vangas as well or is this breeding system specific to the Rufous Vanga within this group? This question is our starting point. Our studies show that 5 of 17 species were cooperative breeders and 10 were monogamous species(two were not able to study). Cooperative breeding was not concentrated within a specific taxonomic group of vanga but occurred in the dry forests.