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Issue: Vol. 5410 No. 4: 15 Feb. 2024
Type: Article
Published: 2024-02-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5410.4.8
Page range: 573-585
Abstract views: 41
PDF downloaded: 1

Taxonomic revision of the Scaled Antbird Drymophila squamata (Aves: Thamnophilidae) reveals a new and critically endangered taxon from northeastern Brazil

Departamento de Zoologia; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo; SP; Brazil; Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo; SP; Brazil
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo; SP; Brazil
Smörbollsgatan 2; 24756 Dalby; Sweden
Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo; SP; Brazil
Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia & Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá; MT; Brazil
Aves Antbirds Atlantic Forest clinal variation Pernambuco Center of Endemism São Francisco River

Abstract

The Scaled Antbird Drymophila squamata is a suboscine passerine endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. Two subspecies, putatively diagnosed by the presence/absence of white spots on the crown, have traditionally been recognized: the nominate, ranging from Pernambuco to Bahia in northeastern Brazil, and D. squamata stictocorypha, from Minas Gerais to Santa Catarina in southeastern and southern Brazil. Here we combine morphological, acoustic, and genetic data to examine geographic variation in and revise the taxonomy of D. squamata. We show that there are two separately evolving population lineages in D. squamata, one south and the other north of the São Francisco River. The latter is unnamed and is thus described herein. We found that crown variation is not as geographically structured as previously thought, and thus we suggest that D. squamata stictocorypha is not a valid taxon. Finally, we also provide evidence of clinal variation in the species’ vocalizations and underscore the importance of broad geographic sampling when assessing species limits using vocalizations.

 

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