The Auk Vol. 122 No. 2 April 2005 THE AUK The Auk CONTENTS Vol. 122 No. 2 April 2005 Vol. 122, No. 2, Pages 389–000 April 2005 (Continued on inside back cover) PUBLISHED BY A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS’ UNION The Auk 122(2):445–463, 2005 © The American Ornithologists’ Union, 2005. Printed in USA. SCYTALOPUS STILESI, A NEW SPECIES OF TAPACULO (RHINOCRYPTIDAE) FROM THE CORDILLERA CENTRAL OF COLOMBIA A M. C,1,5 C D C,2 N K,3 L M R2,4 1Instituto de Biología, Universidad de Antioquia, A.A. 1226, Medellín, Colombia; 2Department of Biology and International Center for Tropical Ecology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 8001 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63121, USA; 3Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and 4Departamento de Ecología y Territorio, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, Pontifi cia Universidad Javeriana, Transversal 4 No. 42-00 Piso 8, Bogotá, Colombia A.—We describe Scytalopus stilesi, an overlooked species of tapaculo endemic to Colombia, on the basis of a series of eight specimens taken in 2002 and comparative analyses of its vocalizations, mitochondrial DNA sequences, and dis- tribution. The new species ranges in the northern half of the Cordillera Central of the Colombian Andes in the Departments of Antioquia, Caldas, and Risaralda, in cloud forests between 1,420 and 2,130 m above sea level. The song, calls, and female song of the new species diff er distinctly from those of all other known Scytalopus taxa. Phylogenetic analyses based on sequences of the cytochrome-b gene strongly suggest affi nities with S. robbinsi of southwestern Ecuador and with two as-yet- undescribed tapaculos from the Colombian Andes. Scytalopus stilesi coexists locally with, though it is ecologically segregated from, S. atratus, S. latrans, and S. spillmanni. The mid-elevation premontane wet forests to which the new species is restricted have been subject to severe deforestation and fragmentation. The species is, how- ever, relatively common in continuous mature-forest remnants, large primary-forest fragments, riparian forests, and tall secondary-forest patches. We employed a geo- graphic information system (GIS) approach to model the potential distribution of the new species and assess its conservation status under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria. Scytalopus stilesi does not qualify as threatened according to those criteria, but it should be regarded as near threatened. The new species coexists with numerous threatened bird species that are in need of more eff ective conservation. Received 25 April 2004, accepted 18 November 2004. Key words: Andes, cytochrome b, new species, Scytalopus, suboscines, systematics. Scytalopus stilesi, una Nueva Especie de Tapaculo (Rhinocryptidae) de la Cordillera Central de Colombia Rr.—Describimos a Scytalopus stilesi, una nueva especie de tapaculo endémica de Colombia, con base en una serie de ocho especímenes colectados en 2002 y en análisis comparativos de sus vocalizaciones, secuencias de ADN mitocon- drial y distribución. La nueva especie se distribuye en la mitad norte de la Cordillera Central de los Andes colombianos en los departamentos de Antioquia, Caldas y 5Present address: Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, P.O. Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931. E-mail: [email protected] 445 446 C . [Auk, Vol. 122 Risaralda, en bosques de niebla entre 1,420 y 2,130 m de elevación. El canto, los reclamos y el canto de la hembra de la nueva especie difi eren distintivamente de los de todos los taxa conocidos del género Scytalopus. Los análisis fi logenéticos basados en secuencias del gen mitocondrial citocromo b sugieren fuertemente afi nidades con S. robbinsi del suroccidente de Ecuador y con dos especies aún no descritas de los Andes colombianos. Scytalopus stilesi coexiste localmente con S. atratus, S. latrans y S. spillmanni, aunque se segrega ecológicamente de ellos por uso de hábitat. Los bosques premontanos húmedos de elevaciones medias a los cuales está restringida la nueva especie han sido objeto de una severa deforestación y fragmentación. Sin embargo, la especie es relativamente común en remanentes de bosques maduros continuos, fragmentos de bosque primario, bosques riparios y parches de bosque secundario avanzado. Empleamos un análisis basado en sistemas de información geográfi ca para modelar la distribución potencial de la nueva especie y evaluar su estado de conservación bajo los criterios de la IUCN. S. stilesi no califi ca como amenazada de acuerdo con estos criterios, pero debe ser considerada como casi amenazada. La nueva especie coexiste con numerosas especies de aves amenazadas que requieren un nivel de conservación más efectivo. Su r the suboscine genus of species along altitudinal gradients, and Scytalopus (Rhinocryptidae) have been exceed- sympatric taxa are oV en segregated by habitat ingly diffi cult to resolve, leading ornithologists (Whitney 1994, Krabbe and Schulenberg 2003). to consider its taxonomy “unusually diffi cult” Thus, it is now evident that resolving the clas- (Zimmer 1939) and “the most complicated of all sifi cation of Scytalopus requires comprehensive Neotropical bird genera” (Ridgely and Tudor assessments of populations in terms of vocaliza- 1994). The diffi culty results from subtle varia- tions, elevational distribution, and habitat, ide- tion in plumage and morphology among spe- ally in combination with genetic analyses. cies, coupled with substantial age-related and Extensive new data on vocalizations and individual variation within species; the birds’ distribution have revealed that the number of skulking behavior in low and dense understory, Scytalopus species occurring in the northern which makes them diffi cult to observe and col- Andes was grossly underestimated by tradi- lect; lack of specimens with reliable data from tional taxonomy and have led to the descrip- many areas; “foxing” of old skin specimens, tion of three new species from Ecuador and including types; and insuffi cient study of their the elevation of several previously named vocalizations (Zimmer 1939; Whitney 1994; forms to species rank (Krabbe and Schulenberg Krabbe and Schulenberg 1997, 2003). 1997). Although Krabbe and Schulenberg (1997) Increased fi eldwork in South America over included some taxa whose ranges extend into recent years has confi rmed that plumage is not Colombia, our understanding of Scytalopus a good indicator of species limits in Scytalopus, taxonomy and distribution in this country casting doubt on the reliability of traditional, remains especially complicated (e.g. Krabbe museum-based taxonomic treatments of the and Schulenberg 2003). As with Ecuadorian group (e.g. Zimmer 1939) and spurring devel- taxa, the number of species occurring in opment of new studies that draw on other types Colombia has clearly been underestimated, yet of data to delimit species (Whitney 1994, Krabbe no detailed taxonomic studies of Colombian and Schulenberg 1997, Coopmans et al. 2001). Scytalopus have been undertaken. Currently, As in other tracheophone suboscines, vocaliza- some new species remain undescribed because tions in Scytalopus are believed to be innate and of insuffi cient comparative material (e.g. highly stereotyped within populations (Fjeldså Krabbe and Schulenberg 1997, Cuervo et al. and Krabbe 1990; Vielliard 1990; Krabbe and 2003), and others may have been overlooked in Schulenberg 1997, 2003) and appear to charac- spite of ornithological fi eldwork. By integrating terize genetically distinct units (Arctander and data on vocalizations, distribution, ecology, and Fjeldså 1994). Moreover, Scytalopus distribu- mitochondrial DNA variation, we have started tions are characterized by sharp replacements to re-address the species-level taxonomy of April 2005] New Tapaculo from Colombia 447 Colombian Scytalopus. The present study is the with the outermost rectrices shorter than the rest; fi rst in a series that, we expect, will ultimately tail much shorter than wing; large and strong result in a substantially be er understanding feet, with distinct taxaspidean tarsal scutellation; of the diversity and distribution pa erns of this hind claw strongly curved and shorter than the genus in Colombia. digit; overall dark and soV plumage, with li le Over the past ten years, A.M.C., C.D.C., sexual dimorphism and substantial individual L.M.R., and others (see Acknowledgments) variation in plumage related to age (Ridgway have repeatedly observed and tape-recorded 1911, Krabbe and Schulenberg 2003). vocalizations of a Scytalopus tapaculo in mid- The new species is most readily diagnosed elevation humid forests of the Cordillera Central by its vocalizations, the song being a long series of the Andes in the Departments of Antioquia, of short churrs, the three-note call and female Caldas, and Risaralda (Colombia). Upon exam- advertising song diff ering distinctly from voices ining its vocalizations, N.K. suspected that this of all other known Scytalopus taxa (see below). tapaculo was a new species. Recent fi eldwork Scytalopus stilesi can also be reliably diagnosed by A.M.C. in northern Antioquia resulted in col- genetically, on the basis of DNA sequences of the lection of eight specimens with associated tissue cytochrome-b mitochondrial gene (see below). samples, in addition to numerous recordings of Morphologically, the new species may not calls and songs of this taxon. Vocal, morphologi- be reliably distinguishable from most other cal, ecological,