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| Darién Nightingale-thrush Catharus arcanus Halley, Catanach, Klicka & Weckstein, 2023 |
Abstract
We assembled datasets of genetic (genomic ultraconserved elements [UCEs], mtDNA) and phenotypic (morphology, voice) characters to address species limits and taxonomy in the slaty-backed nightingale-thrush Catharus fuscater (Passeriformes: Turdidae), a polytypic complex of songbirds with a broad montane distribution in Central and South America. We identified 10 allopatric populations that have been evolving independently for multiple glacial cycles. Genetic structure is broadly correlated with divergence in phenotypic characters, including plumage colour, iris colour, maxilla (bill) colour, and the acoustic structure of vocalizations (calls and songs). We propose an integrative taxonomic revision that recognizes seven species in the complex, including a newly described species from eastern Panama, and four subspecies, of which two are newly described.
phylogenetics, Neotropics, nightingale-thrush, systematics
... taxonomic revision splits the C. [fuscater] complex into 7 species, of which 1 is newly described, and 4 subspecies, of which 2 are newly described. We also proposed new English names for each species. They are …
1. Talamanca Nightingale-thrush (Catharus hellmayri)
– monotypic –
Northern mountains of Costa Rica (Rincón de la Vieja, Miravalles, Tenorio) to west-central Panama (Parque Nacional Santa Fé, Veraguas).
2. Darién Nightingale-thrush (Catharus arcanus, sp. nov.)
– monotypic –
E Panama, endemic to Serranía de Majé and Serranía del Darién, from Cerro Azul in the west, to Cerro Tacarcuna in the east
3. Pirre Nightingale-thrush (Catharus mirabilis)
– monotypic –
Endemic to Cerro Pirre, Darién province, E Panama
(Photo: ML 242929041)
4. Cordilleran Nightingale-thrush (Catharus fuscater)
– polytypic –
(1) C. f. sanctaemartae, endemic to Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, NE Colombia;
(2) C. f. fuscater, Sierra de Perijá of Venezuela, N and E Andes of Colombia and Venezuela.
(Photo: ML 206115721)
5. Trans-Andean Nightingale-thrush (Catharus berlepschi)
– polytypic –
(1) C. b. berlepschi, W Andes in Ecuador;
(2) C. b. caniceps, W Andes in Ecuador, S to NW Peru;
(3) C. b. nebulus, ssp. nov., E Peruvian Andes.
(Photo: ML 38468741)
6. Antioquia Nightingale-thrush (Catharus opertaneus)
– polytypic –
(1) C. o. opertaneus, NW and Central Andes in Colombia, S to Napo, Ecuador;
(2) C. o. tenebris, ssp. nov., Río Chinchipe watershed of N Peru and SE Ecuador
7. Cochabamba Nightingale-thrush (Catharus mentalis)
– monotypic –
S Peru, east of the Río Apurímac, E to Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Matthew R. Halley, Therese A. Catanach, John Klicka and Jason D. Weckstein. 2023. Integrative Taxonomy reveals Hidden Diversity in the Catharus fuscater (Passeriformes: Turdidae) complex in Central and South America. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 199(1); 228–262. DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad031
