[Ornithology • 2025] Tinamus resonans • A New Species of Tinamus (Aves: Tinamiformes) from the western Amazon, Brazil

 

Tinamus resonans

 Morais, Crozariol, Godoy, Plácido & Raposo, 2025 

  

 Slaty-masked Tinamou | Sururina-da-serra  ||  DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5725.2.6

Abstract

We describe Tinamus resonans sp. nov., a new species of tinamou from the montane forests of the Serra do Divisor, western Amazonia, Brazil. The species is distinguished by a unique combination of plumage pattern, vocal repertoire, and ecological characteristics, including a conspicuous dark slate facial mask, vivid rufous-cinnamon underparts, and a uniform brownish-gray back. Its vocalizations are remarkable, consisting of long and powerful songs that echo strikingly across the steep montane slopes, producing a characteristic resonant effect. The species was documented exclusively at higher elevations within a transitional zone between submontane and stunted forests, where the understory is densely structured by root mats. A preliminary population estimate, based on field detections and spatial extrapolation, suggests approximately 2,106 individuals restricted to the Serra do Divisor massif. Although no immediate anthropogenic pressures were observed within its range, the species may be highly vulnerable to climate change and to proposed infrastructure projects that threaten the integrity of this federally protected region. The discovery of T. resonans highlights the biological uniqueness of the Serra do Divisor, reinforces its status as a center of montane endemism, and underscores the critical importance of maintaining its long-term conservation.

Aves, Amazon rainforest, endemic species, extinction, Tinamidae, Serra do Divisor National Park, Acre

Tinamus resonans sp. nov. 
at Morro Queimado, Serra do Divisor National Park, Mâncio Lima, Acre, Brazil,

photos by Luis A. Morais.

Tinamus resonans sp. nov.

Proposed Portuguese name: Sururina-da-serra

Proposed English name: Slaty-masked Tinamou

Diagnosis: This species differs from all other Tinamidae by presenting, at least in females (the three individuals whose sex could be determined were female), a distinctive dark slate-colored crown, which extends into a prominent stripe down the hindneck and into the post-ocular region, forming a conspicuous facial mask (Fig. 1 and 2). The ferruginous  coloration  of  the  breast  places  it  near  the T.  variegatus/brevirostris  group,  from  which  it  is  readily distinguished by its uniform brownish-gray dorsum lacking any barring, a condition otherwise shared only with T. soui. It can be further separated from T. soui by its ferruginous breast, neck, and cheeks and the presence of white on the lower belly. Its vocalization is unique and therefore diagnostic among the vocalizations attributed to other Tinamidae. As described below, it is distinguished by its overall structure and note modulation.

Holotype of Tinamus resonans sp. nov. (MN 53848).
Ventral view (A), lateral view (B), dorsal view (C), flanks (D), dorsal surface of the wing (E), ventral surface of the wing (F).

Etymology: From Latin, resonans is the present participle of the verb resonare (“to resound,” “to echo”), used here in its adjectival sense meaning “resounding” or “echoing.” The verb is composed of the prefix re- (“again” or “back”) and the root sonare (“to sound”), which derives from the noun sonus (“sound”). The name refers to the striking echoing effect of the species’ song, which reverberates across the steep montane slopes of its habitat as a result of strong acoustic diffusion. 

The common name “sururina” is an onomatopoeic term used by local riverine people to refer to ground-dwelling tinamous with modulated songs and is commonly applied to several species in the region, including Tinamus soui and T. variegatus. The addition of “-da-serra” (“from the mountains”) highlights the distinct identity and montane habitat of this species, setting it apart from other sympatric taxa.

Luis A. MORAIS, Marco A. CROZARIOL, Fernando I. GODOY, Ricardo A. A. PLÁCIDO and Marcos A. RAPOSO. 2025. A New Species of Tinamus (Aves: Tinamiformes) from the western Amazon, Brazil.  Zootaxa. 5725(2); 279-291. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5725.2.6 [2025-12-02]

[Ornithology • 2024] Trichothraupis griseonota • A New Species of Tanager (Aves: Thraupidae) from the Eastern Slopes of the Andes

Trichothraupis griseonota 

Cavarzere, Costa, Cabanne, Trujillo-Arias, Marcondes & Silveira, 2024

   

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5468.3.7 

 x.com/LiaKajiki

 

Abstract

The Black-goggled Tanager (Trichothraupis melanops) is a South American forest species that comprises two disjunct populations in the Atlantic Forest and in the Andes. During visits to natural history museums, we noticed morphological differences between these populations, which led to a taxonomic revision of the species based on plumage patterns and morphometry. Our analyses revealed that both populations are fully diagnosable, and that the Andean population represents an undescribed taxon, which we name Trichothraupis griseonota sp. nov. The new taxon differs from T. melanops by the extension of black in the faces of the males, covering the auricular region, and a greyer shade on the back (instead of olive). A previous mtDNA study with Trichothraupis is consistent with our conclusions that a new taxon requires recognition. The new species is found from 400 m up to 1,700 m on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina, inhabiting Tucumano-Boliviano and Yungas Forests as opposed to the Atlantic Forests where T. melanops is found. The biogeographical disjunction of the two species is similar to what has been observed for other bird species and subspecies, whereby avian lineages are allopatrically distributed and separated by the Chaco-Cerrado vegetation. The description of this taxon reinforces the importance of continued studies and analyses of museum specimens, which may yet reveal little-known patterns and undescribed taxa.

Aves, Andean Forests, Atlantic Forest, Biogeography, Taxonomy, Trichothraupis 

 Trichothraupis griseonota sp. nov.

Vagner Cavarzere, Thiago Vernaschi V. Costa, Gustavo S. Cabanne, Natalia Trujillo-Arias, Rafael S. Marcondes, Luís F. Silveira. 2024. A New Species of Tanager (Aves: Thraupidae) from the Eastern Slopes of the Andes.  Zootaxa. 5468(3); 541-556. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5468.3.7

  x.com/LiaKajiki/status/1801675892814397927

  new-dinosaurs.tumblr.com/post/753229159442022400/trichothraupis-griseonota-cavarzere-et-al-2024

[Ornithology • 2024] Patagona chaski • Extreme Elevational Migration spurred Cryptic Speciation in Giant Hummingbirds (Apodiformes: Trochilidae)

 

Patagona chaski   

Patagona gigas  (Vieillot, 1824)

in Williamson, Gyllenhaal, Bauernfeind, Baumann, Gadek, Marra, Ricote, Valqui, Bozinovic, Singh & Witt, 2024. 

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313599121 

  twitter.com/JL_Williamson

 

Significance: 

Biodiversity varies from place to place because the range of climates suitable for any one species tends to be limited. The giant hummingbird appears to defy this tendency, occurring across the broadest range of environments of any hummingbird. We asked whether its migration, physiology, or genetics explain its climate generalism, potentially illuminating mechanisms of niche breadth evolution. Microtracking devices revealed an epic migration from the Chilean coast to the Peruvian Andes, with an extreme, >4,100-m elevational shift and corresponding performance trade-offs. Genomes revealed that migrant and resident populations diverged in the Pliocene and have since evolved under phenotypic stasis. A migratory shift enabled climatic niche expansion, leading to speciation and niche subdivision, consistent with diversification by niche breadth oscillation.

Abstract

The ecoevolutionary drivers of species niche expansion or contraction are critical for biodiversity but challenging to infer. Niche expansion may be promoted by local adaptation or constrained by physiological performance trade-offs. For birds, evolutionary shifts in migratory behavior permit the broadening of the climatic niche by expansion into varied, seasonal environments. Broader niches can be short-lived if diversifying selection and geography promote speciation and niche subdivision across climatic gradients. To illuminate niche breadth dynamics, we can ask how “outlier” species defy constraints. Of the 363 hummingbird species, the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) has the broadest climatic niche by a large margin. To test the roles of migratory behavior, performance trade-offs, and genetic structure in maintaining its exceptional niche breadth, we studied its movements, respiratory traits, and population genomics. Satellite and light-level geolocator tracks revealed an >8,300-km loop migration over the Central Andean Plateau. This migration included a 3-wk, ~4,100-m ascent punctuated by upward bursts and pauses, resembling the acclimatization routines of human mountain climbers, and accompanied by surging blood-hemoglobin concentrations. Extreme migration was accompanied by deep genomic divergence from high-elevation resident populations, with decisive postzygotic barriers to gene flow. The two forms occur side-by-side but differ almost imperceptibly in size, plumage, and respiratory traits. The high-elevation resident taxon is the world’s largest hummingbird, a previously undiscovered species that we describe and name here. The giant hummingbirds demonstrate evolutionary limits on niche breadth: when the ancestral niche expanded due to evolution (or loss) of an extreme migratory behavior, speciation followed.

  

  

 

Jessie L. Williamson, Ethan F. Gyllenhaal, Selina M. Bauernfeind, Matthew J. Baumann, Chauncey R. Gadek, Peter P. Marra, Natalia Ricote, Thomas Valqui, Francisco Bozinovic, Nadia D. Singh, and Christopher C. Witt. 2024.  Extreme Elevational Migration spurred Cryptic Speciation in Giant Hummingbirds. PNAS. 121 (21); e2313599121. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313599121 

  twitter.com/JL_Williamson/status/1790397976550011094

The proposed scientific name for the resident northern population is Patagona chaski. “Chaski” is the word for messenger in Quechua, a family of Indigenous languages that spread from Peru to other neighboring countries.

 news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/05/worlds-largest-hummingbird-actually-two-species

[Ornithology • 2023] Catharus arcanus, C. fuscater, C. mirabilis, etc. • Integrative Taxonomy reveals Hidden Diversity in the Catharus fuscater (Passeriformes: Turdidae) complex in Central and South America

 Darién Nightingale-thrush Catharus arcanus

 Halley, Catanach, Klicka & Weckstein, 2023

 

DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad031 

 twitter.com/MatthewHalley

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

  facebook.com/MatthewHalley7/posts/10162340435929573

  twitter.com/MatthewHalley/status/1677384927829196800

[Ornithology • 2023] Phylogenetic Relationships and Biogeography of the Ancient Genus Onychorhynchus (Passeriformes: Onychorhynchidae) suggest Cryptic Amazonian Diversity

Distribution of Onychorhynchus

in Reyes, Bates, Naka, Miller, Caballero, ... et Tello, 2023. 

DOI: 10.1111/jav.03159  

 twitter.com/AvianBiology

Abstract

We examined phylogeographic patterns and cryptic diversity within the royal flycatcher, Onychorhynchus coronatus (Aves: Onychorhynchidae), a widespread Neotropical lowland forest tyrant flycatcher. A phylogeny of the six recognized subspecies was constructed from mtDNA sequence data of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit two gene, using Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood methods. Phylogenetic analyses revealed high levels of intraspecific divergence within O. coronatus, supporting the existence of at least six independent lineages. The phylogenetic results uncovered the following relationships: (O. c. swainsoni [Southern Atlantic Forest], (O. c. coronatus [western Amazonia], (O. c. castelnaui [eastern Amazonia], (O. c. mexicanus [Central America], (O. c. occidentalis [Tumbesian], O. c. fraterculus [extreme northwestern South America])))). Biogeographic and dating analyses suggest that vicariant and dispersal events acted across approximately six million years to influence lineage diversification within this genus. Some of those events include the formation of the Amazon River and its tributaries, Andean uplift, and climatically induced vegetational shifts. Phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses of O. coronatus lineages support a hypothesis of area relationships in which the first divergence event isolated the Southern Atlantic Forest from Amazonia during the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene. This event was followed by the split of western and eastern Amazonia at the Early/Late Pliocene, the divergence of cis- and trans-Andean lowland regions also at the Early/Late Pliocene, the split between Central America and the extreme northwestern South America/Tumbes at the Early/Middle Pleistocene, and the split between extreme northwestern South America and Tumbes at Middle/Late Pleistocene. Subsequent divergence of the southern and northern populations in the western and eastern Onychorhynchus lineages took place during the Pleistocene. Comparison of phylogenetic trees and patterns in Onychorhynchus with those from published work suggests that across large New World radiations such as the Suboscines, some co-distributed lineages began to diverge long before others, which exemplifies the complexity of their evolutionary history.

Keywords: cryptic diversity, diversification, Neotropical, Onychorhunchus, phylogeny

Distribution of Onychorhynchus, including collecting localities for the specimens that were used in this study. Points indicate sample collection localities and numbers refer to unique specimen IDs, which are also referenced in Fig. 2, 3 , and Supporting information. Illustrations of Onychorhynchus lineages showing plumage coloration differences. Illustrations by Francy Tamayo.

Conclusions

Our study highlights the complex diversification patterns of the Neotropical lowlands and stresses the importance of assessing phylogenetic relationships of complex taxa with large and patchy distributions. Onychorhynchus constitutes an ancient radiation whose ancestral lineage originated in the extensive ‘pan-Amazonian' region in the Late Paleogene/Early Miocene. Onychorhynchus started radiating during the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene with an expansion out of Amazonia to the Atlantic Forest, followed by an Early/Late Pliocene splitting of an Amazonian ancestral lineage to form the western and eastern Amazonian clades, and a subsequent single Early/Late Pliocene trans-Andean colonization from western Amazonia that originated the ancestral trans-Andean clade. The trans-Andean lineages originated during the Early to Late Pleistocene.

Furthermore, this study helped to reveal independently evolving lineages that might have to be treated as separate species with different conservation concerns. Complementary studies that include nuclear DNA, morphology, niche differentiation, and vocalizations with thorough sampling throughout the Onychorhynchus distribution are needed to fully resolve the evolutionary relationships and delimit species within this genus.

 

Pamela Reyes, John M. Bates, Luciano N. Naka, Matthew J. Miller, Isabel Caballero, Catalina Gonzalez-Quevedo, Juan L. Parra, Hector F. Rivera-Gutierrez, Elisa Bonaccorso and José G. Tello. 2023. Phylogenetic Relationships and Biogeography of the Ancient Genus Onychorhynchus (Aves: Onychorhynchidae) suggest Cryptic Amazonian Diversity. Journal of Avian Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jav.03159 

  twitter.com/AvianBiology/status/1694713375174074664

[Ornithology • 2022] Aphrastura subantarctica • A New Bird Species (Passeriformes: Furnariidae) on the Southernmost Islands of the Americas

Aphrastura subantarctica 

 Rozzi, Quilodrán, Botero-Delgadillo, Crego, Napolitano, Barroso, Torres-Mura & Vásquez, 

in Rozzi, Quilodrán, Botero-Delgadillo, Napolitano, ... et Vásquez, 2022

Subantarctic Rayadito | Rayadito Subantártico ||  DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17985-4

Illustrations by Mauricio Alvarez Abel.

 Images by Omar Barroso.

Abstract

We describe a new taxon of terrestrial bird of the genus Aphrastura (rayaditos) inhabiting the Diego Ramírez Archipelago, the southernmost point of the American continent. This archipelago is geographically isolated and lacks terrestrial mammalian predators as well as woody plants, providing a contrasted habitat to the forests inhabited by the other two Aphrastura spp. Individuals of Diego Ramírez differ morphologically from Aphrastura spinicauda, the taxonomic group they were originally attributed to, by their larger beaks, longer tarsi, shorter tails, and larger body mass. These birds move at shorter distances from ground level, and instead of nesting in cavities in trees, they breed in cavities in the ground, reflecting different life-histories. Both taxa are genetically differentiated based on mitochondrial and autosomal markers, with no evidence of current gene flow. Although further research is required to define how far divergence has proceeded along the speciation continuum, we propose A. subantarctica as a new taxonomic unit, given its unique morphological, genetic, and behavioral attributes in a non-forested habitat. The discovery of this endemic passerine highlights the need to monitor and conserve this still-pristine archipelago devoid of exotic species, which is now protected by the recently created Diego Ramírez Islands-Drake Passage Marine Park.

Study areas for the morphological and genetic characterization of Aphrastura spinicauda and A. subantarctica. The distribution range of the nominal species is shown in light green, and the new taxonomic group from the Diego Ramírez Archipelago in light blue. (A) Sampling sites for morphology. (B) Sampling sites for mtDNA. (C) Sampling sites for microsatellite markers. The numbers correspond to the sample size. The names of the colored sites follow the methods description, and Tables 1 and 2.

Bird illustrations by Mauricio Alvarez Abel.

Habitat characteristics and individual appearance of two populations of Aphrastura.
 (A) Forest habitat on Navarino Island. (B) An individual of the thorn-tailed rayadito (Aphrastura spinicauda) from Navarino Island.
(C) Tussock (Poa flabellata) habitat on Gonzalo Island, Diego Ramírez Archipelago, with a mist net. (D,E) Individuals of the proposed new species Aphrastura subantarctica from Gonzalo Island.

Images by Omar Barroso.

Order: Passeriformes (Linnaeus, 1758) 

Family: Furnariidae (Gray, 1840) 

Genus: Aphrastura (Oberholser, 1899) 

 Aphrastura subantarctica, sp. nov. R Rozzi, CS Quilodrán, E Botero-Delgadillo, RD Crego, C Napolitano, O Barroso, JC Torres-Mura & RA Vásquez.

Common name (English): Subantarctic Rayadito.

Common name (Spanish): Rayadito Subantártico.

Diagnosis: Morphology.—Typical Aphrastura structure with rounded wings, and an idiosyncratic tail morphology. Aphrastura’s distal third of the inner web of the rectrices is abruptly and deeply excised, giving the tips of the feathers a thornlike appearance. No other genus in the family has a similar tail structure. Aphrastura differs in these morphological characters from the phylogenetically closest related genera in the subfamily Synallaxinae present in southwestern South America: Leptasthenura and Sylviorthorhynchus. In contrast to Aphrastura, Leptasthenura’s tail is not abruptly and deeply excised at the distal portion of the inner web of the rectrices; in Sylviorthorhynchus, the rectrices are denuded of barbs1. A. subantarctica differs from A. spinicauda, in having on average a larger and heavier body (~ 25%), a larger beak (~ 15%), a larger tarsus (~ 5%), and a shorter tail (~ 16%) (Fig. 3; Supplementary Information Appendix 5 and 6). The primaries and secondaries are greyish on the ventral side with whitish edges; the central rectrices are dark grey on the ventral side, but do not differ between the two species. Color terms using Munsell Color’s52 notation are shown in Appendix 7 (Supplementary Information).

....

Concluding remarks: 

We propose A. subantartica as a new species. The genetic, morphological, and ecological divergence of this population, which may have resulted from isolation on an island with a distinct habitat, is probably an ongoing evolutionary process. Because of the small size of the Diego Ramírez islands and the potential arrival of exotic mammal predators, it is pressing to protect this new endemic species from extinction. The Diego Ramírez Archipelago encompasses the southernmost extreme islands of the American continent and is free of invasive alien species. Measures should be put into place to keep exotic mammals, such as rats (Rattus rattus), domestic cats (Felis catus), and American minks (Neovison vison)–which are all present on other islands of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve–off the Diego Ramírez islands. In particular, the rapid expansion of the American mink has impacted bird populations on other subantarctic islands that have evolved in the absence of terrestrial mammal predators. Collaboration between the scientific community and other institutions, in particular the Chilean Navy, which has been regularly present on this archipelago since the establishment of the lighthouse on Gonzalo island in 1951, is critical for the success of scientific long-term monitoring and conservation programs. In 2019, the Diego Ramírez-Drake Passage Marine Park was created by the Chilean government to protect one of the few archipelagos that is still free from the arrival of exotic species worldwide. The description of A. subantarctica is also an appeal to the community to protect not only a population of a new species, but also to protect a remote natural laboratory that represents an opportunity to preserve the diversity of nature and its ecological and evolutionary processes.

    Ricardo Rozzi, Claudio S. Quilodrán, Esteban Botero-Delgadillo, Constanza Napolitano, Juan C. Torres-Mura, Omar Barroso, Ramiro D. Crego, Camila Bravo, Silvina Ippi, Verónica Quirici, Roy Mackenzie, Cristián G. Suazo, Juan Rivero-de-Aguilar, Bernard Goffinet, Bart Kempenaers, Elie Poulin and Rodrigo A. Vásquez. 2022. The Subantarctic Rayadito (Aphrastura subantarctica), A New Bird Species on the Southernmost Islands of the Americas. Scientific Reports. 12, 13957. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17985-4

[Ornithology • 2021] Heliothraupis oneilli • A New Genus and Species of Tanager (Passeriformes, Thraupidae) from the lower Yungas of western Bolivia and southern Peru

Heliothraupis oneilli

Lane, Justiniano, Terrill, Rheindt, Klicka, Rosenberg, Schmitt & Burns, 2021

Inti Tanager ||  DOI: 10.1093/ornithology/ukab059

 twitter.com/enicurus 

 

Abstract

We describe a colorful and distinctive new species of tanager from the lower slopes of the Andes of southeastern Peru and western Bolivia. The species was first noted from southeastern Peru in 2000, but little of its natural history was uncovered until the 2011 discovery of a breeding population in deciduous forest in an intermontane valley, the Machariapo valley, in Bolivia. This species appears to be an intratropical migrant, breeding in deciduous forest during the rainy season (November–March) and spending the dry season dispersed along the lower slopes of the Andes, apparently favoring Guadua bamboo-dominated habitats in both seasons. Phylogenetic evidence suggests this tanager is embedded within a clade of thraupids that includes Ramphocelus, Coryphospingus, Loriotus, Tachyphonus, and related genera in the subfamily Tachyphoninae. Within this subfamily, the new species falls in a clade with two monotypic genera, Eucometis penicillata (Gray-headed Tanager) and Trichothraupis melanops (Black-goggled Tanager). There is strong support for a sister relationship between the new tanager and T. melanops, but because all three species in this clade are highly distinctive phenotypically, we propose erecting a new genus and species name for the new tanager.

Daniel F. Lane, Miguel Angel Aponte Justiniano, Ryan S. Terrill, Frank E. Rheindt, Luke B. Klicka, Gary H. Rosenberg, C. Jonathan Schmitt and Kevin J. Burns. 2021. A New Genus and Species of Tanager (Passeriformes, Thraupidae) from the lower Yungas of western Bolivia and southern Peru. Ornithology. ukab059. DOI: 10.1093/ornithology/ukab059

 twitter.com/enicurus/status/1454892148503941128

 twitter.com/oroporbaratijas/status/1455159713512005632

 twitter.com/amcuervo/status/1454958323665604621 

   

RESUMEN: Describimos una nueva especie de tangara, colorida y distintiva, de las colinas bajas de los Andes del sureste de Perú y del oeste de Bolivia. La especie fue registrada por primera vez en el sureste peruano en el año 2000, pero poco de su historia natural fue develada hasta el año 2011, cuando se descubrió de una población reproductiva en bosques caducifolios en un valle intermontano (valle del Machariapo) en Bolivia. Parece que esta especie es un migrante intratropical, que se reproduce en bosques caducifolios durante la temporada de lluvias (noviembre-marzo) y pasa la temporada seca, dispersa a lo largo de las colinas bajas de los Andes, aparentemente prefiriendo los hábitats dominados por el bambú Guadua, en ambas estaciones. La evidencia filogenética sugiere que esta tangara está dentro de un clado de tráupidos que incluye a Ramphocelus, Coryphospingus, Loriotus, Tachyphonus y géneros relacionados en la subfamilia Tachyphoninae. Dentro de esta subfamilia, la nueva especie pertenece a un clado con dos géneros monotípicos, Eucometis penicillata y Trichothraupis melanops. Existe un fuerte soporte para una relación hermana entre esta nueva tangara y T. melanops, pero debido a que las tres especies dentro de este clado son fenotípicamente muy diferentes, proponemos erigir un nuevo género y nombre de especie para la nueva tangara.

   

[Ornithology • 2021] Florisuga mellivora • Male-like Ornamentation in Female Hummingbirds results from Social Harassment rather than Sexual Selection

White-necked Jacobin  Florisuga mellivora (Linnaeus, 1758)

in Falk, Webster & Rubenstein, 2021. 

DOI:  10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.043

 twitter.com/JJinsing 

Highlights

• Female white-necked jacobins are polymorphic—30% have male-like plumage

• All juveniles have male-like plumage, excluding sexual selection as an explanation

• Male-like females receive less con- and heterospecific social harassment

• Thus, male-like ornamentation in females can arise purely through non-sexual means

Summary

Ornamentation is typically observed in sexually mature adults, is often dimorphic in expression, and is most apparent during breeding, supporting a role for sexual selection in its evolution. Yet, increasing evidence suggests that nonsexual social selection may also have a role in the evolution of ornamentation, especially in females. Distinguishing between these alternatives remains challenging because sexual and nonsexual factors may both play important and overlapping roles in trait evolution. Here, we show that female ornamentation in a dichromatic hummingbird, the white-necked jacobin (Florisuga mellivora), cannot be explained by sexual selection. Although all males are ornamented, nearly 30% of females have male-like plumage. Remarkably, all juveniles of both sexes express ornamented plumage similar to adult males (androchromatism), but 80% of females acquire non-ornamented plumage (heterochromatism) as they age. This unique ontogeny excludes competition for mates as an explanation for female ornamentation because non-reproductive juveniles are more likely to be ornamented than adults. Instead, avoidance of social harassment appears to underlie this female-limited polymorphism, as heterochrome taxidermy mounts received more aggressive and sexual attention than androchrome mounts from this and other hummingbird species. Monitoring electronically tagged birds at data-logging feeders showed that androchrome females accessed feeders more than heterochrome females, presumably because of reduced harassment. Our findings demonstrate that ornamentation can arise purely through nonsexual social selection, and this hypothesis must be considered in the evolution of not only female-limited polymorphism but also the spectacular ornamentation often assumed to result from sexual selection.

 

Keywords: social selection, sexual selection, ornamentation, sexual dimorphism, plumage coloration, ontogeny, female-limited polymorphism, hummingbird, Trochilidae, Florisuga mellivora

Both male and female White-necked Jacobins fan their tails during courtship or aggressive interactions. Because this bird also has its wings partially raised it's likely an aggressive stance.

Photo by Brian Sullivan/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The left and center images show adult female and adult male plumages, respectively.

Right image shows juvenile plumage.

 

Jay J. Falk, Michael S. Webster and Dustin R. Rubenstein. 2021. Male-like Ornamentation in Female  Hummingbirds results from Social Harassment rather than Sexual Selection. Current Biology. DOI:  10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.043

 twitter.com/JJinsing/status/1430950674255126529

Some hummingbird females look like males to evade harassment

 eurekalert.org/news-releases/926477