Asian short-toed lark

For the South Asian species sometimes using the same name, see Sand lark.

The Asian short-toed lark (Alaudala cheleensis) is a lark in the family Alaudidae. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1871. It is found from south-central to eastern Asia.

Asian short-toed lark
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Alaudidae
Genus:	Alaudala
Species:	A. cheleensis
Binomial name
Alaudala cheleensis R. Swinhoe, 1871
Synonyms
Alaudula cheleënsis Calandrella cheelensis Calandrella cheleensis Calandrella rufescens cheleensis

Taxonomy and systematics

Formerly or presently, some authorities have considered the Asian short-toed lark to belong to the genus Calandrella or to be a subspecies of the lesser short-toed lark. Alternate names for the Asian short-toed lark include the Asiatic short-toed lark, eastern short-toed lark (a name also used by the steppe greater short-toed lark), grey short-toed lark, Mongolian short-toed lark (not to be confused with the species of the same name, Calandrella dukhunensis), salined lark and salt-marsh lark.

A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2020 compared the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from the sand, Asian short-toed, and Mediterranean short-toed larks. The study analysed samples from 130 individuals that represented 16 of the 18 recognised subspecies. The resulting phylogenetic tree indicated that neither the Asian short-toed lark, nor the lesser short-toed lark as currently defined are monophyletic. Most of the subspecies were also found to be non-monophyletic. The authors refrained from proposing a revised taxonomy until additional studies had been completed comparing the vocalizations, sexual behaviour and ecology.^[1]

Subspecies

Six subspecies are recognized:^[2]

• A. c. leucophaea - (Severtsov, 1873): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Calandrella. Found from Kazakhstan to Turkmenistan
• A. c. seebohmi - Sharpe, 1890: Originally described as a separate species. Found in north-western China
• A. c. tuvinica - (Stepanyan, 1975): Found in north-western Mongolia and southern Russia
• A. c. cheleensis - R. Swinhoe, 1871: Found in south-central Siberia, north-eastern Mongolia and north-eastern China
• A. c. kukunoorensis - Przewalski, 1876: Found in west-central China
• A. c. beicki - (Meise, 1933): Found in southern Mongolia and north-central China