A new genus and species of tanager (Passeriformes, Thraupidae) from the lower Yungas of western Bolivia and southern Peru

Abstract

We describe a colorful and distinctive new species of tanager from the lower slopes of the Andes of southeastern Peru and western Bolivia. The species was first noted from southeastern Peru in 2000, but little of its natural history was uncovered until the 2011 discovery of a breeding population in deciduous forest in an intermontane valley, the Machariapo valley, in Bolivia. This species appears to be an intratropical migrant, breeding in deciduous forest during the rainy season (November–March) and spending the dry season dispersed along the lower slopes of the Andes, apparently favoring Guadua bamboo-dominated habitats in both seasons. Phylogenetic evidence suggests this tanager is embedded within a clade of thraupids that includes Ramphocelus, Coryphospingus, Loriotus, Tachyphonus, and related genera in the subfamily Tachyphoninae. Within this subfamily, the new species falls in a clade with two monotypic genera, Eucometis penicillata (Gray-headed Tanager) and Trichothraupis melanops (Black-goggled Tanager). There is strong support for a sister relationship between the new tanager and T. melanops, but because all three species in this clade are highly distinctive phenotypically, we propose erecting a new genus and species name for the new tanager.

Tracking scientific discovery of avian phylogenetic diversity over 250 years

“…Although undoubtedly some new species remain to be discovered, these are likely to be evolutionarily closely related to known species. The Inti Tanager (Heliothraupis oneilli), described from western Bolivia in late 2021 (and therefore not included in the present analysis), reinforces this point [24]. This genus-level discovery, when compared to discoveries in recent decades, is highly distinctive, adding a similar amount of PD to the curve as the Udzungwa Forest Partridge (Xenoperdix udzungwensis) in the 1980s.…”

A new species of scops-owl (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae, Otus) from Príncipe Island (Gulf of Guinea, Africa) and novel insights into the systematic affinities within Otus

“…The discovery of new species tends to have a higher impact when it occurs in familiar groups like mammals or birds. Birds in particular are likely the best studied animal group, making the discovery of new species more challenging and often restricted to remote locations and/or difficult-to-study groups (e.g., Rheindt et al 2020 ; Lane et al 2021 ; Milá et al 2021 ). This paper illustrates how exploration led to the discovery of a new owl species on the forests of Príncipe Island, Gulf of Guinea, Africa.…”

Two new bird species for Bolivia

“…2019), Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina and South American Painted Snipe Nycticryphes semicollaris (Aponte et al . 2022), and the description of Inti Tanager Heliothraupis oneilli to science (Lane et al . 2021), the number had reached 1,446 (Herzog 2021).…”

“…By 2016, 1,437 species had been registered (Herzog et al 2016). Four years later, following such additions as Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla (Brady et al 2019), Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina and South American Painted Snipe Nycticryphes semicollaris (Aponte et al 2022), and the description of Inti Tanager Heliothraupis oneilli to science (Lane et al 2021), the number had reached 1,446 (Herzog 2021). Here, we present three new bird records (two species and one colour morph) for Bolivia, from dptos.…”