Endemic Brazilian Tapaculos, with a Brief Résumé of Their Current Taxonomy Andrew Whittaker and Jaqueline Rizzi Fortuna
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>>O PH TOSPOT ENDEMIC BRAZILIAN TAPACULOS Endemic Brazilian tapaculos, with a brief résumé of their current taxonomy Andrew Whittaker and Jaqueline Rizzi Fortuna apaculos represent a New World grouping accurately describes their frustrating behaviour. that is traditionally accorded family status Furthermore, with their short rounded almost T (Rhinocryptidae)10. However, more recent vestigial wings, they are extremely reluctant flyers. research using phylogenetic analyses suggests The South American hotspot for these small that tapaculos might be better merged into mostly dull suboscine Passeriformes is the the Formicariidae and given tribe status as the Andes, where Krabbe & Schulenberg9 recently Rhinocryptini, because they are closer to the revolutionised our understanding of species limits antthrushes than either is to the antpittas8,17,18, in Scytalopus. In a monumental publication, using which latter group has recently been afforded principally vocal and some genetic data, these family status (Grallariidae). Until recently authors increased the number of known species the peculiar and morphologically attractive from 11 to 37. Most of these were ‘upgrades’ cresentchests (Fig. 1) were considered tapaculos, from subspecies status, but they also included although this placement was sometimes three brand new species. Given that tapaculos considered controversial5,7,8. However, with genetic are extremely poor fliers, ‘agoraphobic’, highly confirmation to the contrary6 the cresentchests sedentary and principally forest-based, many (Melanopareia) have now formally been removed populations have become isolated in remnants of to their own family Melanopareiidae. habitat. In the wake of Krabbe & Schulenberg’s The loudsongs of Scytalopus tapaculos are revision, renewed interest in eastern Brazil distinctive, extremely long series’ of relatively loud Scytalopus has culminated in several exciting new harsh nasal chuck notes repeated continuously, discoveries including the description of cryptic often for up to one minute. Some species even taxa and a much greater understanding of their sing with their eyes partially closed, e.g. Brasília complex taxonomy. Tapaculo S. novacapitalis (AW pers. obs.; Fig. 2). Field ornithologists in Brazil have known Tapaculo song types once heard are fairly easy to for more than two decades that several species remember and are commonly heard throughout of tapaculo were (and in some cases still are) many regions of the Neotropics, especially the awaiting formal description (AW pers. obs.). Andes. However, observing tapaculos is nigh However, none of us could ever have honestly on impossible without playback of their songs, imagined exactly how complicated things are. combined with a lot of patience and some luck! First and foremost was the incredible discovery These small dull-coloured skulkers generally of a new endemic, the Wetland Tapaculo inhabit the dense understorey of moist forests and Scytalopus iraiensis3 from heavily populated certainly rank alongside antpittas or tinamous south-east Brazil in the metropolitan region of in the difficult-to-see ‘stakes’. Most Neotropical the capital of Paraná state, Curitiba! Even more birders will recall the struggle to gain a fleeting surprisingly, it inhabits marshes along rivers glimpse of one of these avian ‘mice’ as they run (atypical for any tapaculo). This new species was or hop across the forest floor through dense and still is classified as Endangered1 although vegetation; tail cocked, disappearing under, its known range has recently been significantly behind or even tunneling through rank vegetation increased to the north, with its discovery at before reappearing, as if by magic, minutes later several sites in the state of Minas Gerais20. These far from where they were last seen. Quickly southern marshes, known as ‘brejos’ in Brazil, one understands exactly how they gained their had already become an ornithological ‘gold mine’ comical name tapaculo, which seems to have been as the discovery followed ‘hot on the heels’ of derived from Spanish for ‘cover your behind’ and that of the endemic Paraná (or Marsh) Antwren 62 Neotropical Birding 11 Stymphalornis acutirostris described just three research is required to fully assess its conservation years before2. Initially ‘christened the Tall-grass status accurately. Wetland Tapaculo Scytalopus iraiensis, the bird’s Meanwhile, research into the phylogeny English name is now simply Wetland (or Marsh) of Brazilian tapaculos led Mata et al.11 to the Tapaculo following the South American Checklist discovery that Scytalopus is paraphyletic, with Committee (SACC). Its habit of walking either on White-breasted Tapaculo S. indigoticus and Bahia the ground or clambering in the impenetrable tall Tapaculo S. psychopompus being more closely marsh grasses and sedges make this species an related to Merulaxis (the two bristlefronts, which excellent candidate for one of the most difficult are also endemic to eastern Brazil; Fig. 7). As Brazilian birds to see! Needless to say there were a result, Maurício et al.13 erected a new genus, almost no good field photographs of this incredible Eleoscytalopus, for these two Brazilian endemics. skulker until now (Fig. 3). Note that the loudsongs of both Eleoscytalopus Research in Rio Grande do Sul, within the are totally different from Scytalopus being loud, Atlantic Forest of south-east Brazil, subsequently frog-like, trills that are steadily repeated (AW pers. unveiled a rather more cryptic new species, obs.). Vocal variation within the southern range Planalto Tapaculo Scytalopus pachecoi12 (Fig. of the monotypic S. indigoticus merits further 4) named for the great modern-day Brazilian investigation (AW pers. obs.). Bahia Tapaculo (Fig. ornithologist Fernando Pacheco. Its populations 8) is extremely poorly known, and is currently were formerly included in Mouse-coloured considered Critically Endangered1, it being Tapaculo S. speluncae, (Fig. 5) although the two restricted to the few extant lowland Atlantic Forest differ in voice and are locally sympatric12. Planalto remnants in southern coastal Bahia. Described Tapaculo is locally fairly common and occurs in as recently as the late 1980s19, the species was stands of Araucaria, where it prefers moist steep only recently rediscovered following several years mossy banks. As well as Brazil, its range crosses without records, initially at Ituberá in a fine reserve the border into the adjacent Misiones province of belonging to the Michelin tyre company. It inhabits north-east Argentina12. However, the continued the understorey of mature lowland forest, in rank controversy14,16 surrounding exactly which taxon thickets always adjacent to small streams and with the 180-year-old (and somewhat damaged) type a dense cover of terrestrial bromeliads and low vine specimen of speluncae represents is central to tangles (AW pers. obs.). Once the species’ loudsong unraveling the fierce debate over species limits in was finally recognised, playback has subsequently south-east Brazilian Scytalopus. If Raposo et al.16 permitted its discovery at other sites in Bahia, are correct in their assertions, then the recently around Ilhéus, Maraú, Taperoá and Valença. described Rock Tapaculo S. petrophilus (see below) Finally, in this whirlwind tour of south-east must automatically be considered a synonym of Brazilian Scytalopus, we come to the enigmatic speluncae, and populations long treated as the tapaculo known from Caraça monastery (in the latter species in the Serra do Mar of south-east southern Espinhaço range of southern Minas Brazil must be referred to as the recently described Gerais). ‘Affectionately’ referred to by birders S. notorius. For now, in this article we follow as tapaculo sp. nov. for almost two decades, SACC nomenclature, but this debate is still far it was finally described as the Rock Tapaculo from ended. S. petrophilus21 (Fig. 9). Found at elevations of As long ago as 1996, Ricardo Parrini informed 2,100–2,900 m, at higher levels it is found only in AW that the disjunct Scytalopus found in north- rocky terrain with low scrub (campos rupestres) eastern Brazil at the Chapada Diamantina, central but lower down it inhabits tall pockets of lush Bahia, probably represented a new taxon15. Atlantic Forest in steep rocky valleys with streams Recent research, including vocal and genetic and mossy rocks, often in association with bamboo analysis, by Bornschein et al.4 resulted in the (AW pers. obs.). formal description of the Diamantina Tapaculo Stay tuned for more news on the ongoing S. diamantinensis (Fig. 6). This poorly known saga of Brazilian tapaculos with still-continuing species occupies remnants of Atlantic Forest taxonomic research (in both the field and in damp thickets near streams, and represents laboratory) attempting to tie-up the remaining yet another range-restricted Bahian endemic, loose ends on a number of taxa. Considerable which is presently known only from the eastern confusion still surrounds the use of the scientific slopes of the Serra do Sincorá (in the northern name of the Mouse-coloured Tapaculo Scytalopus Espinhaço range). The species’ conservation status speluncae, while several other populations are is currently considered Vulnerable1, although currently under scrutiny with even more splits and Bornschein et al.4 have suggested that further new taxa almost certain to be forthcoming! Neotropical Birding 11 63 >>O PH TOSPOT ENDEMIC BRAZILIAN TAPACULOS 1 2 5 3 4 Clockwise from top left Figure 1. Collared Cresentchest