ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL 14: 477–489, 2003 © The Neotropical Ornithological Society RANGE EXTENSIONS FOR THE GRAY-BACKED TACHURI (POLYSTICTUS SUPERCILIARIS) AND THE PALE-THROATED SERRA-FINCH (EMBERNAGRA LONGICAUDA) WITH A REVISION ON THEIR GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION Marcelo Ferreira de Vasconcelos1,4, Marcos Maldonado-Coelho2 & Dante Renato Corrêa Buzzetti3 1Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Avenida Rui Braga, s/no, 39401-089, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil. 2Department of Biology and International Center for Tropical Ecology, University of Missouri- St. Louis, 8001 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63121-4499, USA. 3Centro de Estudos Ornitológicos, Rua Dr. Luis Augusto de Queirós Aranha, 493, Alto de Pinheiros, 05453-001, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Resumo. – Extensões geográficas do Papa-moscas-de-costas-cinzentas (Polystictus superciliaris) e do Tibirro-rupestre (Embernagra longicauda) com uma revisão sobre suas distribuições geográficas. – Nós apresentamos novas localidades de ocorrência para o Papa-moscas-de-costas-cinzentas (Polystictus superciliaris) e para o Tibirro-rupestre (Embernagra longicauda), duas espécies de aves anteriormente conside- radas como endêmicas da Cadeia do Espinhaço, leste do Brasil, e do bioma do cerrado. Nós também mos- tramos uma revisão da distribuição geográfica destas duas espécies baseada em nossos estudos de campo, consultas em museus e bibliografia. Nossos registros estendem a distribuição destas espécies para outros sistemas orográficos, especialmente nos campos de altitude dos topos de montanha da região da Mata Atlântica. A ocorrência destas espécies fora da Cadeia do Espinhaço pode ser explicada por variações cli- mático-vegetacionais no passado (especialmente no caso do Papa-moscas-de-costas-cinzentas). Abstract. – We present range extensions for the Gray-backed Tachuri (Polystictus superciliaris) and the Pale- throated Serra-finch (Embernagra longicauda), two bird species previously considered endemic to the Espin- haço Range, eastern Brazil, as well as endemic to the cerrado region. We also provide a revision on the geographic distribution for these species based on our own fieldwork, search for specimens deposited in museums, and bibliographic review. Our records extend the current known distribution of these species to new mountain ranges, especially in the “campos de altitude” of the mountain tops located in the Atlantic forest region. The occurrence of these species outside the Espinhaço Range is suggested to be related to past climatic-vegetational changes (especially for the Gray-backed Tachuri). Accepted 18 March 2003. Key words: Polystictus superciliaris, Embernagra longicauda, geographic distribution, Espinhaço Range, Brazil. INTRODUCTION tictus superciliaris) and the Pale-throated Serra- finch (Embernagra longicauda) were considered Until recently, the Gray-backed Tachuri (Polys- restricted to the “campos rupestres” vegeta- ______________ tion of the Espinhaço Range (Silva 1995a). 4Correspondence: Rua Paraíba, 740, apartamento 501, The Espinhaço Range is a mountain complex 30130-140, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. E-mail: located in the southeastern Brazilian states of [email protected] Minas Gerais and Bahia (see map in Giulietti 477 VASCONCELOS ET AL. RIO GRANDE DO SUL PARANÁ FIG. 1. Known localities for Gray-backed Tachuri Range. Areas above 1000 m a.s.l. are shaded. Localities and sources are provided in Appendix 1. et al Tachuri was previously known to occur in the Serra do Mar, another mountain complex in GOIÁS 478 . Before Silva’s analysis, the Gray-backed 1997). SÃO PAULO DF SANTA CATARINA BAHIA São Paulo ESPINHAÇO RANGE Rio de Janeiro within (circles) and outside (triangles) Espinhaço southeast Brazil, close This species was recorded in this range based on a specimen collected at Serra da Bocaina, São Paulo state (between 22 RIO DE JANEIRO Salvador ESPÍRITO SANTO to the Atlantic Ocean. o 40’ and 23 o 20’S, DISTRIBUTION OF TWO BRAZILIAN BIRDS 44o24’ and 44o54’W), in 1961 by J. L. Lima Departamento de Zoologia da Universidade and deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Federal de Minas Gerais (DZUFMG), Museu Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil (MZUSP de História Natural de Taubaté (MHNT), 43421) (Sick 1997, Vasconcelos 2001). After Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ), this, the species was also recorded in Serra da Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Canastra (20o15’S, 46o37’W) (Silveira 1998, Paulo (MZUSP), and Universidade Federal de Vasconcelos 1999a) and at Pico do Papagaio Pernambuco (UFPE). We also collected speci- (22o04’S, 44o37’W) (Vasconcelos 1999b), both mens and tape-recorded these two species in localities outside Espinhaço Range. several localities. Specimens were deposited in The geographic distribution of the Pale- DZUFMG and UFPE. Tape-records were throated Serra-finch was firstly studied by archived in the Arquivo Sonoro Elias Pacheco Carnevalli (1982) and Mattos & Sick (1985). Coelho (ASEC) at Universidade Federal do These authors found this species not only Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. along the Espinhaço Range mountains, but also outside it, precisely in the Itaobim and RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Divisópolis (Serra da Mombuca) municipali- ties. Notwithstanding these two records, it Range extensions was considered restricted to the Espinhaço Gray-backed Tachuri. This species was recorded complex by subsequent researchers (Silva on 3 May 1996 in a natural area of “campo de 1995a, Stattersfield et al. 1998). Moreover, the altitude” (high-altitude grassland) in the species has been recently recorded in defor- Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca (21o42’S, ested areas on the Rio Doce valley, outside the 43o53’W), Lima Duarte municipality, located Espinhaço Range, and in mountains close to in the Serra da Mantiqueira complex, south- the Serra da Mantiqueira complex, in south- ern Minas Gerais state. Two birds were seen ern Minas Gerais (Machado et al. 1998, Vas- foraging among shrubs on the trail to Janela concelos 2000). Records for this species in the do Céu waterfalls, c. 1500 m a.s.l. Two other Rio Doce valley have been suggested to be individuals were found 100 m away from this related to geographic expansion due to the pair, in the same kind of habitat. This pair was destruction of the Atlantic forest, providing it tape-recorded. The species was recorded with new non-natural grassland habitats again in this park on 12 May 2001, when a (Machado et al. 1998, Vasconcelos 2000). pair was observed singing close to a cloud for- Since the knowledge on the avifauna from est at 1750 m elevation, near Pico da Lom- the southeastern Brazilian mountains is still bada. On 19 May 2001, two individuals were limited (Vasconcelos 2001), the aim of this observed in the same area gleaning for insects paper is to provide new localities of these two along shrubs and low trees of the “campo de endemic species. altitude,” and along the edge of a cloud forest. Other species that were observed together METHODS with the Gray-backed Tachuri were the Chicli Spinetail (Synallaxis spixi), the Highland Elae- We made new records and provide a revision nia (Elaenia obscura), the Velvety Black-tyrant on the geographic distribution for these two (Knipolegus nigerrimus), the Diademed Tanager species based on our own fieldwork, biblio- (Stephanophorus diadematus), and the Wedge- graphic review, and search for specimens tailed Grass-finch (Emberizoides herbicola). deposited in the following museums: Ameri- Additionally, two other individuals of the can Museum of Natural History (AMNH), Gray-backed Tachuri were heard and 479 VASCONCELOS ET AL. RIO GRANDE DO SUL PARANÁ FIG. 2. Known localities for Pale-throated Serra-fi Range. Areas above 1000 m a.s.l. are shaded. Loca observed approximately 50 m away from these previous two. On both occasions, the species was tape-recorded. Andrade (1997), who previously had made a bird checklist of GOIÁS 480 SÃO PAULO DF MINAS GERAIS SANTA CATARINA BAHIA São Paulo ESPINHAÇO RANGE lities and sources are provided in Appendix 1. Rio de Janeiro nch within (circles) and outside (triangles) Espinhaço this region, did not find the species in Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca. RIO DE JANEIRO recorded in the Parque Nacional do Itatiaia The Gray-backed Tachuri was also Salvador ESPÍRITO SANTO DISTRIBUTION OF TWO BRAZILIAN BIRDS (between 22o15’ and 22o25’S, 44o35’ and tains, such as the Serra da Mombuca, Divisó- 44o45’W), Itatiaia municipality, Rio de Janeiro polis municipality, Minas Gerais (Carnevalli state, on 18 June 1996. One single bird was 1982, Mattos & Sick 1985). This locality rep- observed and tape-recorded in a “campo de resents the easternmost record for this species altitude” area close to the park entrance, c. in its geographic range. Additionally, this spe- 2300 m elevation. This bird was moving cies was recorded in some mountains that among shrubs together with a Velvety Black- could be considered transitional between the tyrant and an Itatiaia Spinetail (Oreophylax mo- Espinhaço Range and the Serra da Man- reirae). This is the first record of the Gray- tiqueira region, such as the Serra de São José, backed Tachuri for Rio de Janeiro state, and it São João del Rei municipality, Minas Gerais. represents the third known locality for the The record in Serra do Caparaó is also outside species in the Serra da Mantiqueira complex, of the Espinhaço Range (Fig. 2, see Appendix the first one being in the Pico do Papagaio, 1). southern Minas Gerais (Vasconcelos 1999b), In this study, geographical records for and the second at Parque Estadual do Ibiti- both the Gray-backed Tachuri and the Pale- poca (present study). throated Serra-finch were included in two cat- egories (Appendix 1). The first category is Pale-throated Serra-finch. This species was found represented by physical evidence (specimen, on 15 March 2001 in a “campo de altitude” of voice recording or photograph), the second Parque Nacional do Caparaó, in the Serra do has records based on visual observation or Caparaó (between 20o19’ and 20o37’S, 41o43’ unknown evidence (not specified by authors and 41o53’W), Dores do Rio Preto municipal- of papers consulted). Considering the locali- ity, Espírito Santo state.