Note on dubious hummingbird spp. (1 Viewer)

[MMSLouis]

This may already be well established knowledge, but the Howard and Moore checklist, 2nd edn. (1991), which I personally use as my own reference, lists no fewer than 15 spp. of Trochilidae which are considered dubious, and not even subspp. of other hummingbirds. They are--

Threnetes grzimeki
Phaethornis nigrirostris
Lophornis insignibarbis
Chlorostilbon vitticeps
Thalurania lerchi
Neolesbia nehrkorni (monotypic genus)
Hylocharis pyropygia
Amazilia distans
Amazilia microrhyncha
Heliangelus squamigularis
Eriocnemis soderstroemi
Eriocnemis isaacsonii
Zodalia glyceria (monotypic genus)
Metallura purpureicauda
Acestrura harterti

In the South American guide by Meyer de Schaunsee (1970) none of these are mentioned, so it is very evident that they should not have been included in the list in the first place. Howard-Moore simply lifted these out of the Peters list regardless of the lack of information on them.

So, if you are a birdwatcher in the American hemisphere, or what not, you might as well cross them off the list. I would be interested to know if anyone disputes this. (and hummingbirds are not just the only family in question, from this particular checklist )

 

[cuckooroller]

MMS,
I'll look through my HM 3°Ed. tonight after work and see what became of these. Some (most) of these I am not familiar with - Zodalia - never heard of it!

 

[Rasmus Boegh]

As far as I am aware, above mentioned species have been removed from the most recent H&M (haven't checked, but most of them are certainly not listed anymore). There are many taxa of hummingbirds that are problematic, not at least due to all the "Merida", "Bahia" and "Bogota" specimens. Many of them are probably hybrids or nothing but unusual individuals, but the recent rediscovery of Coeligena (bonapartei) orina clealy show that there still is much to learn about hummingbird taxonomy. Indeed, there are several fundamental problems in the taxonomy of Trochilidae and there can be no doubt that many changes will happen in the future at all levels (from subfamily to species).

 

[cuckooroller]

MMS,

There are more contested Trochilidae taxa than those you mention. If you need to know what the HM 3°Ed. says for some of them - shoot me a PM.

Threnetes grzimeki Ruschi, 1973. "Grzimek's Barbthroat": known from <>; now considered an immature plumage of Glaucis hirsuta (Vuilleumier & Mayr 1987, Hinklemann 1988a, Schuchmann et al. 1999). The Current HM considers this as immature plumage nominate Glaucis h. hirsuta. V. Hinkelmann, 1988.

Phaethornis nigrirostris Ruschi, 1973. "Black-billed Hermit": known from <>; now considered a synonym (aberrant black-billed individuals) of P. eurynome (Hinkelmann 1988a, Schuchmann et al. 1999). The Current HM considers these as aberrant black-billed nominate P. e. eurynome. V. Hinkelmann, 1988.

Lophornis insignibarbis Simon, 1890. "Bearded Coquette": known from one specimen from "Bogotá"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and as a questionable taxon by Peters (1945) and Meyer de Schauensee (1966); possibly a hybrid (L. stictolophus X L. chalybeus) (Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Schuchmann et al. 1999). The Current HM does not list this and there is no mention of it even in the footnotes.

Chlorostilbon vitticeps. “Simon’s Emerald”: A dubious split of Chlorostilbon mellisugus. The Current HM has this taxon submerged within Chlorostilbon mellisugus phaeopygus. V. Bundgen, 1999.

Thalurania lerchi Mulsant & Verreaux, 1872. "Lerch's Woodnymph": known only from "Bogotá"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and as a questionable species by Peters (1945); Berlioz (1937, 1965), Meyer de Schauensee (1970), and Schuchmann et al. (1999) suspected that it was a hybrid (Thalurania furcata X Chrysuronia oenone). The Current HM makes no mention of this even in the footnotes.

Neolesbia nehrkorni (Berlepsch, 1887). "Nehrkorn's Sylph": known from two "Bogotá" specimens; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Peters (1945); probably a hybrid (Aglaiocercus kingi X Ramphomicron microrhynchum, or A. kingi X Thalurania sp.) (Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Sibley & Monroe 1990, <> Hinkelmann et al. 1991, Schuchmann et al. 1999). I find no mention of it even in the footnotes.

Hylocharis pyropygia Salvin & Godman, 1881. "Flame-rumped Sapphire": known from five specimens from "Bahía"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); probably a hybrid (H. cyanus X Chlorostilbon aureoventris pucherani) (Berlioz 1938, Schuchmann et al. 1999), but possibly a valid species (Berlioz 1951, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, 1970, Sibley & Monroe 1990). The current HM no longer lists it considering it a hybrid. V. Weller, 1999.

Amazilia distans Wetmore & Phelps, 1966. "Tachira Emerald": formerly considered a valid species (e.g., Meyer de Schauensee 1970); Graves (1998) showed that it is a hybrid (Hylocharis cyanus X Amazilia fimbriata). The current HM no longer lists it considering it a hybrid. V. Weller, 1999.

Cyanomyia microrhyncha Elliot, 1876. Then placed in Amazilia, re-examined and now thought to be a juvenile plumage Amazilia cyanocephala guatimalensis. The HM has now submerged guatimalensis within the nominate A.c.cyanocephala.

Heliangelus squamigularis Gould, 1871. "Olive-throated Sunangel": known only from "Bogotá" and "Antioquia," Colombia; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918), but as "H. barrali" (squamigularis has priority), Hartert (1922), and Peters (1945); status considered uncertain by Meyer de Schauensee (1966) and Schuchmann et al. (1999); Hilty & Brown (1986) considered it to represent a hybrid. Graves (1990) determined that this is a hybrid, Heliangelus amethysticollis X Eriocnemis cupreoventris. The Current HM does not list this and makes no mention of it in footnotes.

Eriocnemis soederstroemi <soderstromi?> Butler, 1926. "Soderstrom's Puffleg": known from one specimen from western Ecuador; Meyer de Schauensee (1966) treated it as a species but suspected that it was possibly an aberrant E. godini, but the validity of that species has also been questioned. Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990) suggested that it might be a hybrid. Graves (1996) showed that it was a hybrid (E. nigrivestis X E. luciani). Current HM does not list – probable hybrid – V. Heynen, 1999.

Eriocnemis isaacsonii (Parzudaki, 1845). "Isaacson's Puffleg": known from three "Bogotá" specimens; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Peters (1945); possibly a hybrid (Eriocnemis sp. X Heliangelus sp.) (Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Schuchmann et al. 1999). Current HM does not list- probable hybrid – V. Heynen, 1999.

Zodalia glyceria (Gould, 1858). "Purple-tailed Comet": known from Popayán, Colombia; treated as a valid species (and genus) by Cory (1918) and Peters (1945); previously considered a hybrid (Lesbia victoriae X Ramphomicron microrhynchum) by Meyer de Schauensee (19660 and Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990); Graves (1999b) demsonstrated that it was a hybrid, but Lesbia victoriae X Chalcostigma herrani. Not listed by Current HM and no mention of it in footnotes.

BTW, a bispecific genus along with another dubious taxon Zodalia thaumasta “Chillo Valley Comet”, Illolo, Ecuador.

Chalcostigma purpureicauda Hartert, 1898. "Purple-tailed Thornbill": known from one "Bogotá" specimen; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); treated as a valid species in the genus Metallura by Peters (1945); probably a hybrid (Aglaiocercus kingi X Lesbia victoriae) (Berlioz REF, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Schuchmann et al. 1999). Current HM makes no mention of it anywhere.

Chaetocercus harterti (Simon, 1901). "Hartert's Woodstar": known from one specimen from the Central Andes of Colombia; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Peters (1945); probably a hybrid (Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Schuchmann et al. 1999). Current HM does not mention it.

 

[MMSLouis]

This info. certainly is helpful in understanding hummingbirds. I also suppose that many other major South American familia--(like the sub-oscines passeriforms) have a significant # of dubious spp that have been included in various checklists.