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Home , Campylorhamphus, Chloropipo, Dendrocolaptes, Guianan gnatcatcher, Herpsilochmus, Hypocnemis

>> SPLITS, LUMPS AND SHUFFLES Splits, lumps and shuffles Alexander C. Lees

Crimson-fronted Paroaria baeri, an endemic of the Araguaia Valley. Pousada Kuryala, Félix do Araguaia Mato Grosso, , November 2008 (Bradley Davis / Birding Mato Grosso).

This series focuses on recent taxonomic proposals—be they entirely new , splits, lumps or reorganisations—that are likely to be of greatest interest to birders. This latest instalment is a bumper one, dominated by the publication of the descriptions of 15 new species (and many splits) for the Amazon in the concluding Special Volume of the Handbook of the of the World (reviewed on pp. 79–80). The last time descriptions of such a large number of new species were published in a single work was in 1871, with Pelzeln’s treatise! Most of these are suboscine —, and tyrant flycatchers, but even include a new jay. Remaining novelties include papers describing a new tapaculo (who would have guessed), a major rearrangement of Myrmeciza antbirds, more Amazonian splits and oddments involving hermits, and cardinals. Get your lists out!

4 Neotropical Birding 14 Above left: Mexican Hemit mexicanus, Finca El Pacífico, Oaxaca, , April 2007 (Hadoram Shirihai / Photographic Handbook of the Birds of the World) Above right: Ocellated ocellatus perplexus, Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserved Zone, Loreto, , October 2008 (Hadoram Shirihai / Photographic Handbook of the Birds of the World)

Species status for Mexican endemic to western Mexico and sister to the remaining populations of P. longirostris. Splits, Lumps and Shuffles is no stranger to A presidential taxonomic revision of Phaethornis hermits, and The Striolated Puffbird Nystalus striolatus was not readers can look forward to some far-reaching an obvious candidate for a taxonomic overhaul, future developments from Amazonia, but the with two, very morphologically similar subspecies Phaethornis under the spotlight in this issue is recognised: N. s. striolatus of Amazonia east the polytypic Long-billed Hermit Phaethornis Ecuador, east Peru, west & central Brazil, and longirostris. Six subspecies are widely recognised northern Bolivia and the apparently disjunct and species status for some of these e.g. N. s. torridus in eastern Pará state, south of the griseoventer, mexicanus and baroni has already Amazon. The species has an easily recognised been mooted (e.g. Schuchmann 1999). Arbelaez- and imitated whistled song, which varies subtly Cortes & Navarro-Siguenza (2013) recently between the two subspecies. Bret Whitney noticed visited the taxonomic status of P. longirostris in that birds from the Madeira–Tapajós interfluve western Mexico, finding a 4.2% divergence in in central Amazonian Brazil sang differently from mtDNA. Coupled with morphological and vocal populations either side of those rivers, prompting data, reviewed by Howell (2013) in the last issue a taxonomic investigation into the group. It of Neotropical Birding, the authors recommend transpired that the type specimen of N. s. striolatus separation of P. l. mexicanus and P. l. griseoventer was collected in this very region, which meant as Mexican Hermit Phaethornis mexicanus, an that the population of Striolated west

Neotropical Birding 14 5 >> SPLITS, LUMPS AND SHUFFLES of the Madeira River actually had no valid name. chunchotambo), so even this new species may not Whitney et al. (2013d) highlight marginal plumage be monotypic… (A. Aleixo in litt. 2013). differences between the three populations and significant genetic and vocal differences sufficient Amazonian Barred to propose a three-species arrangement: Eastern Striolated Puffbird N. striolatus for populations Woodcreeper systematics east of the Tapajós, Natterer’s Striolated Puffbird and a new taxon N. torridus for those between the Tapajós and Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper Madeira and the formal naming of N. obamai— is a polytypic species with its six currently Western Striolated Puffbird—for populations recognised taxa distributed throughout the west of the Madeira, the name honouring Barack Amazonian lowlands, in addition to an isolated Obama, the current President of the United States, (and extremely threatened) population in the who probably does not need an introduction here. north-eastern Brazilian Atlantic . Although these taxa are broadly morphologically and is vocally similar, D. c. radiolatus and D. c. concolor multiple species are known to be equally or more genetically divergent from each other than either is from The Chestnut-rumped Xiphorhynchus pardalotus D. sanctithomae, suggesting that species limits and Ocellated Woodcreepers X. ocellatus form a should be redrawn. A new molecular phylogeny species complex that is considered to comprise conducted by Batista et al. (2013) revealed the between two and three polytypic species, and existence of seven reciprocally monophyletic eight to nine subspecies, which occur throughout groups within the polytypic D. certhia, each much of lowland Amazonia and the adjacent occupying discrete Amazonian regions and all Andean foothills, albeit with much wrangling corresponding to an already named taxon with over species limits. Sousa-Neves et al. (2013) have the exception of the group inhabiting the Xingu– attempted to settle these debates by performing Tocantins interfluve in Amazonian Brazil. The a comprehensive molecular analysis, using team proposed the name retentus for this new data from two mitochondrial and three nuclear taxon which is separated from its sister taxon genes for almost all taxa in the complex. Their D. c. medius by 0.7% sequence divergence in the phylogenetic analyses indicate that current species mitochondrial genes cytochrome b and NADH limits and subspecies is off the mark. subunit 2. The scientific name retentus reflects For example, X. o. ocellatus is paraphyletic relative its mistaken treatment (along with the taxon to X. o. perplexus, and X. c. napensis comprises ridgwayi) as an introgressive population (based on two distinct evolutionary lineages that are not overall plumage intermediacy) between the weakly supported as each other’s closest relatives. Based barred subspecies D. c. concolor and strongly on genetic divergence between populations of barred D. c. medius. Given the diagnosable Ocellated Woodcreepers they recommend the plumage characters and genetic differences, the following taxonomic arrangement (note they authors propose splitting all taxa in the complex proposed no English names, those listed here as follows: Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper D. are potential candidates!): ‘Chunchotambo certhia of the Guiana Shield north of the Amazon Woodcreeper’ X. chunchotambo of the lower and east of the rio Negro, in , Brazil, Andean foothills and adjacent lowland Amazonia , and ; Napo (in southern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Woodcreeper D. radiolatus occurring west of the Peru, northern Bolivia, and creeping into Brazil rio Negro in Amazonian Brazil and Venezuela west in the state of Acre; ‘Beauperthuy’s Woodcreeper’ to the base of the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador and X. beauperthuysii found north of the Amazon Peru north of the Amazon; Juruá Woodcreeper from the west banks of the river Negro in the D. juruanus distributed west of the Madeira and Brazilian state of Amazonas through southern south of the Amazon in Amazonian Brazil, Bolivia Venezuela southern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and Peru; Plain-coloured Woodcreeper D. concolor and northern Peru east of the river Napo; and in the Madeira–Tapajós interfluve in Amazonian ‘Ocellated Woodcreeper’ X. ocellatus occurring Brazil and Bolivia in Santa Cruz; Ridgway’s south of the Amazon in north-eastern Peru to the Woodcreeper D. ridgwayi in the Tapajós–Xingu Madeira–Tapajós interfluve in Brazil and adjacent interfluve in Brazil; Xingu Woodcreeper D. northern Bolivia. The authors found significant retentus in the Xingu–Tocantins interfluve in vocal variation in at least one of these clades (X. Brazil; and Todd’s Woodcreeper D. medius; found

6 Neotropical Birding 14 east of the Tocantins river in Pará and western work and a thorough revision of molecular, vocal Maranhão, with an isolated population in the and morphological datasets by Aleixo et al. (2013) north-east Atlantic Forest that has not yet be and Portes et al. (2013) has shed new taxonomic subject to genetic analysis and seems likely to be light on these tricky groups. In the former divergent to some extent... paper they name a new taxon—gyldenstolpei which occurs in the Inambari area of endemism Revisiting the Lineated west of the Madeira and south of the Solimões (Amazon) rivers in Brazil (and probably also in Woodcreeper complex adjacent Peru). The name honours the Swedish The Lineated Woodcreeper ornithologist Count Nils Gyldenstolpe for his work albolineatus is a typical member of mixed- both on scythebill taxonomy and Amazonian birds species canopy flocks of the Amazonian in general. The authors recommend species-level lowlands, currently treated as polytypic with five treatment for three forms: the aforementioned morphologically similar subspecies recognised Tupana Scythebill C. gyldenstolpei, Curve-billed (originally described at the species level). Scythebill C. procurvoides of the Guiana Shield Rodrigues et al. (2013) recently reviewed the north of the Amazon and east of the Negro– taxonomy of the complex, and their molecular Branco rivers in Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana and phylogeny (based on mitochondrial DNA Surinam, and finally Zimmer’s Scythebill C. data, coupled with vocal data) supported the sanus found west of the Branco–Negro rivers recognition of five reciprocally monophyletic in Amazonian Brazil and Venezuela west to groups each corresponding to a named taxon Colombia, Ecuador and Peru north of the Amazon with the exception of those south of the Amazon / Solimões rivers. Portes et al. (2013) demonstrate and west of the Madeira rivers (and to which the the reciprocal monophyly and morphological name fuscicapillus had been previously incorrectly distinctness of Curve-billed Scythebills south of applied). This taxon they name Lepidocolaptes the Amazon, including an unnamed population fatimalimae after Fátima Lima, who has been between the rios Tapajós and Xingu, which they the collection manager at the Museu Goeldi christen cardosoi after the conservationist and for over 30 years. In considering the reciprocal biogeographer José Maria Cardoso da Silva. The monophyly and plumage-based diagnoses of southern Amazonian taxa in the complex elevated the five distinct populations they recommend to species status thus comprise Snethlage’s their recognition at the species level as: Lineated Scythebill C. multostriatus of the northern portion Woodcreeper L. albolineatus of of the Xingu–Tocantins interfluve, Rondonia east of the rios Branco and Negro in Venezuela, Scythebill C. probatus occurring between the rios Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana; Madeira and Tapajós, and the aforementioned L. duidae found west of Tapajós Scythebill of the Tapajós–Xingu interfluve. the rios Branco and Negro in Amazonian Brazil and Venezuela west to the base of the Andes Epinecrophylla antwren in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru (north of the species limits Amazon / Solimões); L. fatimalimae found west of the Madeira and south Stipple-throated Antwrens Epinecrophylla of the Amazon / Solimões rivers in Amazonian haematonota are widespread inhabitants of Brazil, Bolivia and Peru; Rondônia Woodcreeper western Amazonia on both banks of the L. fuscicapillus ranging between the Madeira and Amazon. About ten years ago, Bret Whitney Tapajós rivers in Amazonian Brazil and northern discovered vocal differences between Stipple- Bolivia; and finally Layard’sWoodcreeper L. layardi throated Antwrens inhabiting the Aripuanã– occurring east of the Tapajós in Brazil as far as the Machado interfluvium and those on the Atlantic coast in north-western Maranhão state. opposite side (left) bank of the river Madeira. Subsequent field studies have led Whitney et al. (2013b) to describe this population as a new Probing scythebill taxonomy species-level taxon E. dentei, the Roosevelt Field-, and even specimen-based identification Stipple-throated Antwren, on the grounds of of the two Amazonian scythebills—the endemic diagnostic genetic (c.3% divergent), vocal and Curve-billed Scythebill female plumage differences from the adjacent E. procurvoides and more widespread Red-billed h. amazonica, which were in agreement with the Scythebill C. trochilirostris—is extremely widely adopted Isler et al. (1998) guidelines for challenging. A combination of historical detective species delimitation in antbirds. The scientific

Neotropical Birding 14 7 >> SPLITS, LUMPS AND SHUFFLES

Clockwise from top left Jurua Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes juruanus, Tupana Lodge (Purus-Madeira interfluve), Amazonas, Brazil, July 2010 (Andrew Whittaker / Birding Brazil Tours) Xingu Woodcreeper Dendrocolaptes retentus, a new member of the Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper complex from the Xingu-Tocantins interfluve. Santana do Araguaia, Pará, Brazil, July 2008 (Bruno Renno) Lineated Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes albolineatus. The nominate species retains the original species English name in this complex of canopy woodcreepers. Cuieiras Biological Reserve, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, March 2009 (Andrew Whittaker / Birding Brazil Tours) Inambari Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes fatimalimae, the newly-described taxon in the Lineated Woodcreeper complex. Assis, Acre, Brazil, September 2009 (Andrew Whittaker / Birding Brazil Tours) 8 Neotropical Birding 14 Clockwise from top left Duida Woodcreeper Lepidocolaptes duidae. Composing English names for many of these new woodcreepers is challenging, given their phenotypic conservatism, so descriptive epithets are hard to come by. Novo Airão, Amazonas, Brazil, July 2009 (Andrew Whittaker / Birding Brazil Tours) Roosevelt Stipple-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla dentei, another new microendemic from the ‘mini-interfluves’ of the Madeira-Tapajos interfluve. Left bank of the Rio Roosevelt, Mato Grosso, Brazil, August 2011 (Fabio Schunk) Rondonia Scythebill Campylorhamphus probatus, Machadinho d’Oeste, Rondonia, July 2013 (Felipe Arantes) Tapajós Scythebill Campylorhamphus cardosoi, a species restricted to terra firme forests between the Tapajós and Xingu. Cristalino Jungle Lodge Reserve, rio Cristalino, Mato Grosso, Brazil, July 2013 (Kevin J. Zimmer)

Neotropical Birding 14 9 >> SPLITS, LUMPS AND SHUFFLES name honours the prolific bird collector Emílio many contributions to Amazonian ornithology. In Dente. Whitney et al. did not stop at dentei addition to oreni, the authors propose to treat the and their combined morphological, vocal and birds occurring west of the Madeira river in the genetic analysis led them to propose a number northern part of the Inambari area of endemism as of taxonomic upgrades within the Stipple-throat Purus Antwren M. heteroptera, leaving the original complex. In addition to E. dentei they propose name Ihering’s Antwren M. iheringi for birds the following species-level taxa: Madeira Stipple- occurring between the rivers Madeira and Tapajós. throated Antwren E. amazonica occurring between the rios Juruá and Madeira in Brazil and A new Herpsilochmus antwren adjacent Peru and Bolivia; Negro Stipple-throated Antwren E. pyrrhonota north of the rivers Napo from the central-western and Solimões; Napo Stipple-throated Antwren E. Amazon haematonota south of the río Napo in Peru south Legendary INPA (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas to the río Maranon and Solimões and east to the da Amazônia) ornithologist Mario Cohn-Haft rio Juruá in Brazil; and finally Foothill Stipple- discovered a new species of Herpsilochmus throated Antwren E. spodionota of the Andean antwren on the left bank of the rio Madeira near foothills. The authors also evaluated the taxonomic Humaita, Brazil in July 1999. This, however, status of Yasuni Antwren E. fjeldsaai—described as did not come as a surprise as its discovery was a new species by Krabbe et al. (1999) based on the biogeographically predicted, given the absence same framework—and, based on a high similarity of any antwrens in the from this region. of mitochondrial and nuclear haplotypes, Although superficially similar to other members concluded this taxon is better considered a of the genus such as Spot-backed Antwren H. subspecies of E. haematonota. dorsimaculatus it differed subtly in plumage morphology, biometrics and significantly in Bamboo Antwren is born vocalisations, in what is a very morphologically Small, grey, somewhat difficult-to-identify conservative group of black-and-white antwrens. antwrens are a typical feature of Amazonian Thirteen years on, Cohn-Haft & Bravo (2013) have forests; Ihering’s Antwren Myrmotherula iheringi presented the official description of the new taxon, falls into this group and occurs in south-western which is confined primarily to various localities Amazonia in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. Ihering’s was between the rivers Purus and Madeira in Brazil historically considered to comprise two parapatric (but has also been found west as far as the Juruá, subspecies: M. i. iheringi in the Madeira–Tapajós where Andrew Whittaker and myself recorded it interfluve in the Brazilian states of Amazonas, in 2007). This species was found to be significantly Pará and Rondônia, and M. i. heteroptera found distinct from the Herpsilochmus populations on west of the Madeira and south of the Amazon the other side of the Madeira (mtDNA c.4% in fact) in the Brazilian state of Amazonas and adjacent and c.6% divergent from a clade containing other Bolivia and Peru. These differ principally in female extra-Amazonian and Andean Herpsilochmus. plumage patterns (like many other antbirds). They authors gave it the name Herpsilochmus Miranda et al. (2013) presented new molecular, praedictus—Predicted Antwren given that its morphological and vocal data to illustrate that discovery was anticipated! the current two-subspecies treatment does not reflect the group’s evolutionary history. Their Another new Herpsilochmus molecular analyses recovered three reciprocally antwren from the central monophyletic clades, which also reflect loudsong note structures and female plumage patterns. Amazon They argue that these three clades are better As already alluded to above, praedictus is not the treated as separate species, one of which had only new Amazonian Herpsilochmus. Whitney not been formally named and which they call et al. (2013a) have recently named another new Myrmotherula oreni, the Bamboo Antwren of species, this one with an even more restricted eastern Acre in Brazil the departments of Pando distribution between the right bank of the rio in Bolivia, and Madre de Dios, Cuzco, Ucayali Madeira in Amazonas and the left bank of the and Puno in Peru, a distribution coincident with rio Aripuanã, extending to north-west Mato another newly discovered bamboo specialist—the Grosso and adjacent north-eastern Rondônia. Rufous Twistwing Cnipodectes superrufus. The Originally reported by Stotz et al. (1997) as an scientific name honours David C. Oren for his isolated population of Black-capped Antwren H.

10 Neotropical Birding 14 atricapillus, adult females are readily distinguished backed Poliocrania exsul; 11) Ampelornis: from others in the complex by their paler, creamy- Grey-headed Antbird A. griseiceps; 11) : white throat contrasting more sharply with the Stub-tailed Antbird S. berlepschi, Esmeraldas orangey forecrown, and more extensively white Antbird S. nigricauda, Dull-mantled Antbird S. underparts, whilst males are more cryptically laemosticta and S. palliata; 12) plumaged. Again it is a story of strong molecular Myrmeciza: White-bellied Antbird M. longipes; 13) and vocal differences (see the previous species) : Black-tailed Antbird M. melanurus, that build a case for species status. The authors White-lined Antbird Myrmoborus lophotes, name the taxon Aripuana Antwren Herpsilochmus Black-faced Antbird Myrmoborus myotherinus, stotzi, after its discoverer and the river that marks White-browed Antbird M. leucophrys and Ash- the limits of is distribution. There it occurs in breasted Antbird M. lugubris; 14) Gymnocichla: campinarana; a stunted forest physiognomy on Bare-crowned Antbird G. nudiceps; 15) Pyriglena nutrient-poor sandy soils. White-backed Fire-eye P. leuconota, White- shouldered Fire-eye P. leucoptera and Fringe- Carving up Myrmeciza backed Fire-eye P. atra; 16) : Black- headed Antbird P. rufifrons and Allpahuayo The lumping of 22 antbirds into the single genus Antbird P. arenarum; 17) Hafferia: Myrmeciza is historically a rather controversial H. fortis, Blue-lored Antbird H. immaculata and arrangement and, with recent genetic studies Zeledon’s Antbird H. zeledoni; 18) Inundicola: confirming in the group, an exhaustive White-shouldered Antbird I. melanoceps and analysis was obviously called for. Isler et al. (2013) Goeldi’s Antbird I. goeldii. Phew! have answered this, and their comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the family Thamnophilidae indicates that species currently placed within A new micro-endemic warbling this genus are found in three of the five tribes of antbird from southern the subfamily Thamnophilinae. The result is that species placed in Myrmeciza are best assigned to Amazonia Myrmeciza and 11 other genera. Seven of these— Seasoned new-for-science discoverers Mario Ammonastes, Ampelornis, Aprositornis, Hafferia, Cohn-Haft and Bret Whitney recorded calls of a Inundicola, Poliocrania and Sciaphylax are newly ‘warbling antbird’ sp. at Manicoré, described, while four—, , Amazonas state, Brazil, in June 2000 that they Myrmophylax and Sipia—are resurrected. realised were different from any vocalisations So—deep breath—the new arrangement in the known from taxa in this complex. Seven years Thamnophilinae is as follows: 1) Myrmorchilus later the then Warbling Antbird H. cantator Stripe-backed Antbird M. strigilatus; 2) was carved up into six species by Isler et al. Myrmophylax: Black-throated Antbird M. (2007). This was a relatively easy exercise as two atrothorax; 3) Aprositornis: Yapacana Antbird A. subspecies occurred sympatrically making it easy disjuncta; 3) Ammonastes: Grey-bellied Antbird A. to generate a taxonomic yardstick by which to pelzelni; 4) Sciaphylax: Chestnut-tailed Antbird S. judge species limits. However, the Manicoré birds hemimelaena and Zimmer’s Antbird S. castanea; were not included in this analysis as there were 5) Myrmoderus: Ferruginous-backed Antbird M. no specimens and only two recordings available. ferrugineus, White-bibbed Antbird M. loricatus, Six years later, with the requisite data now M. ruficauda, Squamate available, Whitney et al. (2013c) have put a name Antbird M. squamosus; 6) : Black- to this population: Manicore Warbling Antbird chinned Antbird H. melanopogon and Band- Hypocnemis rondoni. The scientific name honours tailed Antbird H. maculicauda; 7) Hylophylax: Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon (1865–1958), a Spotted Antbird H. naevioides, Spot-backed Brazilian military officer and explorer famous for Antbird H. naevius and Dot-backed Antbird H. his support of Brazilian indigenous populations. punctulatus; 8) Sclateria: Silvered Antbird S. Manicore Warbling Antbirds occur from the naevia; 9) Myrmelastes: M. right bank of the rio Madeira and the left bank saturatus, Slate-coloured Antbird M. schistaceus. of rio Aripuanã in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, M. hyperythrus, Rufous-faced upriver to the rio Roosevelt in north-west Mato Antbird M. rufifacies, Brownish-headed Antbird Grosso and the river Machado in Rondônia. M. brunneiceps, Humaita Antbird M. humaythae, Morphological diagnosis of this species is again Spot-winged Antbird M. leucostigma and Caura subtle but vocal and genetic evidence (c.4% Antbird M. caurensis; 10) Poliocrania: Chestnut- mtDNA divergent from its sister species Rondonia

Neotropical Birding 14 11 >> SPLITS, LUMPS AND SHUFFLES

Above left, top to bottom Above right, top to bottom Female Madeira Stipple-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla Purus Antwren Myrmotherula heteroptera, Palmari Lodge, amazonica, Tupana, Amazonas, Brazil, December 2007 Rio Javari, Amazonas, Brazil, May 2011 (Andrew Whittaker (Hadoram Shirihai / Photographic Handbook of the Birds / Birding Brazil Tours) of the World) Predicted Antwren Herpsilochmus praedictus: the Male Negro Stipple-throated Antwren Epinecrophylla first published field photograph of this unobtrusive pyrrhonota, Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge, Amazonas, Brazil, canopy antwren, Beruri, Amazonas, Brazil, July 2013 December 2007 (Hadoram Shirihai / Photographic (Christian Borges Andretti) Handbook of the Birds of the World) Aripuana Antwren Herpsilochmus stotzi is most accessible Foothill Antwren Epinecrophylla spodionota, Quebrada to birders at the Pousada Rio Roosevelt, near where this Mishquiyacu, Moyobamba, San Martin, Peru, October adult male was caught, on the left bank Rio Roosevelt, 2008 (Hadoram Shirihai / Photographic Handbook of the Mato Grosso, Brazil, August 2011 (Fabio Schunck) Birds of the World)

12 Neotropical Birding 14 Clockwise from top left (Top left and right) Acre Tody-tyrant Hemitriccus cohnhafti. This cryptically-plumaged tody-tyrant has recently been discovered over the border in Peru. This individual was photographed at the type locality of Assis, Acre, Brazil, September 2009 (Andrew Whittaker / Birding Brazil Tours) Guianan guianensis. Photographing members of the broadly-defined complex is very difficult as they are typically rare (or at least unobtrusive) and tend to stay in the highest parts of the forest canopy. Cuieiras Biological Reserve, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, March 2009 (Andrew Whittaker / Birding Brazil Tours) Campina Jay Cyanocorax hafferi, arguably one of the most unexpected recent Neotropical ornithological discoveries. Humaita, Amazonas, Brazil, November 2009 (Luciano Moreira Lima) Chico’s Tyrannulet Zimmerius chicomendesi, a cryptic, campina enclave specialist. Highway BR-230, Humaita, Amazonas, Brazil December 2011 (Fabio Schunck) Neotropical Birding 14 13 >> SPLITS, LUMPS AND SHUFFLES

Warbling Antbird H. ochrogyna and c.5% divergent Readers should be aware of several patterns from Spix’s Warbling Antbird H. striata) indicate emerging in this onslaught of new species: (a) most that this taxon deserves species status. new species are cryptic, (b) the majority are from southern Amazonia, especially between the rios Surprise! A new Scytalopus… Madeira and Tapajós and (c) most are suboscine passerines, particularly antbirds, woodcreepers Hosner et al. (2013) have described a new and (henceforth) flycatchers. species—Junín Tapaculo Scytalopus gettyae from temperate humid montane forests in Junín department, central Peru, based on a series of A new Tolmomyias flycatcher four specimens and associated voice recordings— from the Madeira interfluve some dating back over a decade, having been The genus Tolmomyias currently comprises five erroneously assigned to other taxa. The new species, but seasoned Neotropical birders know taxon is a fairly small tapaculo with uniformly that this number is set to rise in spectacular black plumage, similar to the allopatric S. latrans fashion in the near future… Whitney et al. (2013e) complex. It is known from montane forest at two have just described a new species-level taxon, localities in the río Satipo watershed at 2,400– Sucunduri Flycatcher Tolmomyias sucunduri, 3,200 m, and occurs syntopically with the much in the Yellow-margined Flycatcher T. assimilis larger Large-footed Tapaculo S. macropus, being complex, a prequel to an anticipated future rash replaced by S. femoralis at lower elevations and of Tolmomyias splits and new taxa. As reflected in by S. acutirostris higher up. The new species has its English and scientific names, the new species a unique song (distinct from all other Syctalopus) is found between the rio Canumã and Sucunduri consisting of a rapidly repeated series of ascending east to the lower rio Tapajós. First found in 1995, arpeggio phrases in addition to a second distinctive the species was not collected until 2008, and then vocal type consisting of a series of harsh, metallic it took another series of expeditions to draw up notes. Its common name highlights its restricted the exact limits of its distribution and collect more distribution, around Junín, and the scientific name recordings, such that the authors felt confident honours conservationist Caroline Marie Getty. in publishing. The new taxon differs subtly from neighbouring (sub)species of T. assimilis in having A new Hemitriccus tody-tyrant a darker grey crown and mantle, but has a song from Acre that is very different from any other assimilis, which is perhaps the key reason why no-one In September 2009, long-time Neotropical picked up on the new bird until recently. stalwarts Kevin Zimmer and Andrew Whittaker came across a Hemitriccus tody-tyrant in second- growth and forest-edge vegetation near the rio A new tyrannulet from Acre, Brazil that defied their collective experience (drumroll) the Madeira of almost all members of the genus. Subsequent expeditions returned with specimens, and both interfluve of Amazonian field observations (plumage characteristics and Brazil… vocalisations—diagnostically duration, number The discovery of Mishana Tyrannulet Zimmerius of notes, peak frequency pattern, and multiple villarejoi by Alonso & Whitney (2001) was part unique calls) and genetic evidence showed that the of a flurry of new species first found in the poorly population was closest to the Yungas Tody-Tyrant known white-sand forests near Iquitos, Peru. H. spodiops of the Andes, but significantly different This species, or at least something very similar enough for them to propose species status as Acre to it—the so called Zimmerius aff. villarejoi, Tody-Tyrant Hemitriccus cohnhafti. The name of was subsequently found at a couple of other the new species honours Mario Cohn-Haft, one disjunct sites in the Moyo Valley and may warrant of the foremost Amazonian ornithologists, who recognition as a distinct taxonomic entity too. has contributed much to the understanding of Despite this, the discovery of an ostensibly this tricky genus. The authors speculate that the similar-looking species in Amazonas state, central species probably occurs in neighbouring Peru and Amazonian Brazil, by Bret Whitney in 2009 Bolivia and (stop press!) the species has just been came as something of a shock to the regional discovered in adjacent Madre de Dios in Peru ornithological collective. Occurring in stunted (Mike Harvey pers. comm. 2013). campina woodland on nutrient poor soils, the new taxon has a very restricted and patchy distribution

14 Neotropical Birding 14 in central Amazonia between the rios Madeira and Ilicurini and Piprini; and (3) finding the genera Aripuanã / Roosevelt. Whitney et al. (2013f) name Pipra and to be polyphyletic. The the bird Chico’s Tyrannulet Z. chicomendesi after Pipra issue has already been resolved by Remsen Francisco Alves Mendes Filho—better known as et al. (2013) who recommended recognition of ‘Chico Mendes’, the Brazilian rubber tapper, trade Ceratopipra for the Golden-headed union leader, environmentalist and champion of Pipra erythrocephala group (cornuta, chloromeros, Amazonia who was assassinated in 1988. Chico’s rubrocapilla, erythrocephala and mentalis) leaving Tyrannulet differs from both villarejoi populations Pipra for the aureola group (filicauda, aureola in biometrics and by its very different voice (see and fasciicauda) separated by Machaeropterus recordings of all populations on Xeno-canto: and Dixiphia. Chloropipo was found to represent http://www.xeno-canto.org). three different clades, with two species in an undetermined position alongside Ilicurini and A new gnatcatcher from the Piprini, necessitating its members to be placed in three different genera. Given that Yellow- western Amazon headed Manakin C. flavicapilla is the type of the A taxonomic revision of the Guianan Gnatcatcher genus, Chloropipo can only be applied to that Polioptila guianensis complex by Whitney & species and C. unicolor whilst Olive Alvarez (2005) proposed recognition of four Manakin Chloropipo uniformis becomes Xenopipo allopatric species Guianan Gnatcatcher P. uniformis. Green Manakin Chloropipo holochlora guianensis, P. clementsi, Rio proved more problematic, although found to be Negro Gnatcatcher P. facilis and Para Gnatcatcher sister to the Lepidothrix , morphological P. paraensis. The authors hinted at the existence and behavioural differences argued against shifting of an undescribed taxon occurring west of the it to that genus. The authors propose the name rio Madeira, known from a few sight records Cryptopipo—concealed manakin—both to reflect and in July 2007 the first specimens of this new its until-now obscure phylogenetic relationships taxon were collected by Alexandre Aleixo and and its skulking behaviour. Andrew Whittaker. Whittaker et al. (2013) propose the name Inambari Gnatcatcher Polioptila A new Amazonian jay! attenboroughi for the new species, after the famous For most Amazonian ornithologists the news British broadcaster and naturalist. Adult males of of the discovery by Mario Cohn-Haft of what attenboroughi differ from males of all was ostensibly always going to be a new jay in the complex in having darker grey upperparts, in the central Amazon represents one of the chest and lower throat, and the combination of most exciting discoveries in recent Neotropical a white eye-ring and a longer tail with white on ornithology history. First glimpsed in August 2002 the outer , and lack of any white in the at the edge of savanna (campina) formations, head. The new species also differs subtly in vocal it took a series of expedition over the following characters and is strikingly different molecularly; decade to draw together sufficient information separated from its sister species, P. paraensis, by for Cohn-Haft et al. (2013) to be confident in c.3.9% sequence divergence in the mitochondrial naming the new taxon: Campina Jay Cyanocorax gene NADH subunit 2. hafferi. The species’ epithet honours the German bioegeographer and ornithologist Dr. Jürgen A manakin reshuffle Haffer, best known for his Pleistocene refugia The members of the manakin family Pipridae are hypothesis (Haffer 1969). The new taxon most among the most coveted by Neotropical birders; closely resembles Azure-naped Jay C. heilprini 52 species are divided into 13–15 genera with of eastern Colombia, southern Venezuela and the greatest diversity found in lowland South north-west Brazil. It differs from that species most America, principally in Amazonia. Ohlson strikingly in having a blue rather than purplish et al. (2013) recently undertook a study of wash to the underparts and in having three (rather phylogenetic relationships within the Pipridae than one) facial marks. Occurring between the using sequence data from three nuclear introns west bank of the rio Purus and the west bank of and one mitochondrial protein-coding gene. the rio Madeira, the species’ restricted distribution Their key findings included: (1) confirming a and habitat requirements have left it vulnerable to sister group relationship between the subfamilies habitat loss caused by the widespread depredations Neopelminae and Piprinae; (2) finding support for of its campina habitats by aggregate extractors and the division of Piprinae into two principal clades: through agricultural expansion.

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Another vote for species status thick-billed oscine passerines long the cause of taxonomic headaches. Revisions of species limits for ‘Xingu’ Cardinal are a perennial feature here on SLS. Mason & The Crimson-fronted Cardinal Paroaria baeri Burns (2013) recently sampled mitochondrial gene is a poorly-known riparian fringe endemic regions in 33 out of the 39 species using Bayesian from central Brazil divided into two subspecies and maximum likelihood inferences, finding Paroaria baeri baeri from the valley of the rio the Sporophila seedeaters to be paraphyletic as Araguaia and P. b. xinguensis known only from a currently defined. The authors uncovered strong very restricted region in the headwaters of the rio evidence that the Oryzoborus seedfinches and the Xingu. Lopes & Gonzaga (2013) recently collected White-naped Seedeater Dolospingus fringilloides a further series of specimens of the latter taxon are embedded within Sporophila and suggested and, combined with morphometric data from merging these three genera into a broadly defined all known existing specimens, they were able to Sporophila (which would have taxonomic priority), investigate the taxonomic status of the pair, which a move proposed by previous authors as far back has been the subject of previous debate (e.g. as Olson (1981). It is a shame, however, that Dávalos & Porzecanski 2009). They found that Cone-billed Conothraupis mesoleuca whilst measurements of the two taxa overlapped, was not sampled, given its Dolospingus-like plumage colouration was diagnostic and the two characteristics… differed in the respective absence (P. b. baeri) or presence (P. b. xinguensis) of sexual dichromatism. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors inferred that these differences coupled Thanks to Alexandre Aleixo and Guy Kirwan for with their allopatry indicate a lack of gene flow comments on the manuscript and to Christian between them and that both warrant species Andretti, Felipe Arantes, Bradley Davis, Luciano status. Lima, Bruno Reno, Fabio Schunk, Hadoram Shirihai, Andrew Whittaker and Kevin Zimmer, for providing Unexpected results from a photographs. phylogeny REFERENCES The six grosbeaks currently recognised in the Aleixo, A., Portes, C. E. B., Whittaker, A. Weckstein, J. D., Gonzaga, L. P., Zimmer, K. J., Ribas, C. C. genus Pheucticus were a target for a multi-locus & Bates, J. M. (2013) Molecular systematics and molecular analysis by Pulgarín et al. (2013). taxonomic revision of the Curve-billed Scythebill Their results indicated current species limits to complex (Campylorhamphus procurvoides: be cloudy in both the Mexican Yellow Grosbeak Dendrocolaptidae), with description of a new species P. chrysopeplus and the Black-backed Grosbeak from western Amazonian Brazil. Pages 253–257 P. aureoventris. They found that the former as in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) currently defined is paraphyletic with respect Handbook of the birds of the world, special volume. to Black-thighed Grosbeak P. tibialis (although Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. strong support is lacking). The two groups of Alonso, J. A. & Whitney, B. M. (2001) A new Zimmerius chrysopeplus correspond with distributions of the tyrannulet (Aves: Tyrannidae) from white sand well-marked allopatric forms P. c. chrysopeplus forests of northern Amazonian Peru. Wilson Bull. and P. c. aurantiacus, which may warrant species 113: 1–9. status. In , the relationship Arbelaez-Cortes, E. & Navarro-Siguenza, A. G. (2013) between Golden-bellied Grosbeak P. chrysogaster Molecular evidence of the taxonomic status of and P. aureoventris is also unresolved as their western Mexican populations of Phaethornis results indicated that P. aureoventris may be longirostris (Aves: Trochilidae). Zootaxa 3716: 81– 97. paraphyletic, with one population from the east Colombian Andes being sister to P. chrysogaster Cohn-Haft, M., Santos Junior, M. A. Fernandes, A. M. & Ribas, C. C. (2013) A new species of Cyanocorax jay of central South America (rather than sister to from savannas of the central Amazon. Pages 306–310 P. aureoventris from Bolivia and Argentina). in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) Clearly morphology is telling a different story to Handbook of the birds of the world, special volume. genetics…. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Cohn-Haft, M. & Bravo, G. A. (2013) A new species of Even more Sporophila! Herpsilochmus antwren from west of the Rio Madeira The genera Sporophila, Oryzoborus and in Amazonian Brazil. Pages 272–276 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) Handbook of the Dolospingus comprise a group of small-bodied,

16 Neotropical Birding 14 birds of the world, special volume. Barcelona: Lynx Ohlson, J. I., Fjeldså, J. & Ericson, P. G. (2013) Molecular Edicions. phylogeny of the manakins (Aves: Passeriformes: Batista, R., Aleixo, A., Vallinoto, M., Azevedo, L., Pipridae), with a new classification and the Rego, P. S., Silveira, L. F., Sampaio, I. & Schneider, description of a new genus. Mol. Phyl. & Evol. 69: H. (2013) Molecular systematics and taxonomic 796–804. revision of the Amazonian Barred Woodcreeper Olson, S. (1981) A revision of the subspecies of complex (Dendrocolaptes certhia: Dendrocolaptidae), Sporophila (”Oryzoborus”) angolensis (Aves: with description of a new species from the Xingu– Emberizinae). Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 94: 43–51. Tocantins interfluve. Pages 245–247 in: del Hoyo, J., Pelzeln, A. von (1871) Zur Ornithologie brasiliens: Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) Handbook of the Resultate von Johann Natterers reisen in den Jahren birds of the world, special volume. 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(2013) Taxonomy, natural the world, 5. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. history, and conservation of Paroaria baeri (Aves: Thraupidae). Trop. Zool. 26: 87–103. Sousa-Neves, T., Aleixo, A. & Sequeira, F. (2013) Cryptic patterns of diversification of a widespread Mason, N. A. & Burns, K. J. (2013) Molecular Amazonian Woodcreeper species complex (Aves: phylogenetics of the Neotropical seedeaters and Dendrocolaptidae) inferred from multilocus seed-finches (Sporophila, Oryzoborus, Dolospingus). phylogenetic analysis: implications for historical Ornitol. Neotrop. 24: 139–155. biogeography and taxonomy. Mol. Phyl. Evol. 68: Miranda, L., Aleixo, A., Whitney, B. M., Silveira, L. F., 410–424. Guilherme, E., Santos, M. P. D. & Schneider, M. P. C. Stotz, D. F., Lanyon, S. M., Schulenberg, T. S., Willard, (2013) Molecular systematics and taxonomic revision D. E., Peterson, A. T. & Fitzpatrick, J. W. (1997) of the Ihering’s Antwren complex (Myrmotherula An avifaunal survey of two tropical forest localities iheringi: Thamnophilidae), with description of a new on the middle Rio Jiparaná, Rondonia, Brazil. In: species from southwestern Amazonia. Pages 268–271 Remsen JV Jr (ed.) Studies in Neotropical ornithology in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) honoring Ted Parker. Ornithol. Monogr. 48: 763–781 Handbook of the birds of the world, special volume. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Whitney, B. M., Cohn-Haft, M., Bravo, G. A., Schunck, F. & Silveira, L. F. (2013a) A new species of Herpsilochmus antwren from the Aripuanã-Machado

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interfluvium in central Amazonian Brazil. Pages 277– Whitney, B. M., Schunck, F., Rêgo, M. A. & Silveira, 281 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) L. F. (2013e) A new species of flycatcher in the Handbook of the birds of the world, special volume. Tolmomyias assimilis radiation from the lower Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Sucunduri-Tapajós interfluvium in central Whitney, B. M., Isler, M. L., Bravo, G. A., Aristizábal, Amazonian Brazil heralds a new chapter in N., Schunck, F., Silveira, L. F. & Piacentini, V. de Q. Amazonian biogeography. Pages 297–300 in: del (2013b) A new species of Epinecrophylla antwren Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) Handbook from the Aripuanã-Machado interfluvium in central of the birds of the world, special volume. Barcelona: Amazonian Brazil with revision of the “stipple- Lynx Edicions. throated antwren” complex. Pages 263–267 in: del Whitney, B. M., Schunck, F., Rêgo, M. A. & Silveira, L. F. Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) Handbook (2013f) A new species of Zimmerius tyrannulet from of the birds of the world, special volume. Barcelona: the upper Madeira-Tapajós interfluvium in central Lynx Edicions. Amazonian Brazil: birds don’t always occur where Whitney, B. M., Isler, M. L., Bravo, G. A., Aristizábal, they “should”. Pages 286–292 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, N., Schunck, F., Silveira, L. F., Piacentini, V. de Q., A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) Handbook of the birds of Cohn-Haft, M. & Rêgo, M. A. (2013c) A new species the world, special volume. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. of antbird in the Hypocnemis cantator complex Whittaker, A., Aleixo, A., Whitney, B. M., Smith, B. from the Aripuanã-Machado interfluvium in central T. & Klicka, J. (2013) A distinctive new species of Amazonian Brazil. Pages 282–285 in: del Hoyo, J., gnatcatcher in the Polioptila guianensis complex Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) Handbook of the (Aves, Polioptilidae) from western Amazonian Brazil. birds of the world, special volume. Barcelona: Lynx Pages 301–305 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, Edicions. D. A. (eds.) Handbook of the birds of the world, Whitney, B. M., Piacentini, V. Q., Schunck, F., Aleixo, A., special volume. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Sousa, B. R. S., Silveira, L. F. & Rêgo, M. A. (2013d) A Zimmer, K. J., Whittaker, A., Sardelli, C. H., Guilherme, name for Striolated Puffbird west of the Rio Madeira E. & Aleixo, A. 2013. A new species of Hemitriccus with revision of the Nystalus striolatus (Aves: tody-tyrant from the state of Acre, Brazil. Pages 292– Bucconidae) complex. Pages 240–244 in: del Hoyo, 296 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D. A. (eds.) Handbook of the Handbook of the birds of the world, special volume. birds of the world, special volume. Barcelona: Lynx Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Edicions.

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