Ornithologists have described a new species of tanager in the genus Snapdragon. Trichotraupis It lives on the eastern slopes of the Andes.
The newly discovered species belong to: Trichotraupisa genus established in 1851 that previously included only one species. Black-billed goldfish (Trichotraupis melanops).
These forest-dwelling birds live in pairs or small groups, feed on fruits and arthropods, and regularly feed on swarms of army ants.
These are common in the Atlantic Forest and are bold, conspicuous, and easy to observe. However, it is less conspicuous in the Andes Mountains, since its main habitat is drier forests than in the Atlantic region.
“Trichotraupis is a single-species genus found in two separate populations, one in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil (from southern Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul), northeastern Argentina, and eastern Paraguay, at an altitude of 1,200 m above sea level. In the range of up to meters. ” Dr. Wagner Cavalzel from Paulista University and its colleagues.
“It is usually associated with the Atlantic Forest, but some isolated populations also exist in the Gallery Forest of the southern Pantanal and eastern Chaco.”
“The second population is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes from northern Peru to extreme northwestern Argentina, primarily at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,700 meters.”
recent research proven The people of the Atlantic Ocean and the Andes Trichotraupis melanops Because they are genetically isolated, their current classification as monotypic species should be reconsidered.
In the new study, Cavalzere and his co-authors evaluated the morphology, plumage, and vocalizations of Atlantic and Andean populations.
The researchers examined a total of 581 skin specimens housed in museums around the world.
“Our feather studies revealed full diagnostic potential between the two populations. Trichotraupis” they said.
“Both populations are also differentiated by tarsal length, with the Atlantic population having longer tarsals on average.”
“Furthermore, the taxa live in different types of vegetation (Atlantic Forest and Tucumano-Boliviano Forest and Yungas Mountain Forest).”
named Trichotraupis griseonota (common name: Andean black swan), this new species is found on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina, at altitudes ranging from 400 meters to 1,700 meters.
“Trichotraupis griseonota “It is restricted to the eastern slopes of the Andes in south-central Peru, Bolivia and northwestern Argentina,” the scientists said.
“It inhabits the seasonally dry Tucumano-Boliviano forest, which is restricted to the Andean forests of northwestern Argentina and the foothills of north-central Bolivia.”
“This species also occurs in the narrow Yungas woodlands at the foothills of the Andes in northern Bolivia and Peru.”
“These montane forests exhibit higher moisture levels compared to the Tucumano-Boliviano forests.”
According to the research team, the fact that these different lineages were previously unrecognized is somewhat interesting, given that: Trichotraupis It is a common species and is abundant in collections.
“Given that museum specimens have played the most important role since their birth several centuries ago, in addition to being a very important and relatively new paradigm in describing new species discovered in museum cabinets. “We emphasize that it is particularly important in the era of genomes and supercomputers; it is fundamental to avian taxonomy,” the authors concluded.
“By documenting and organizing variations and enabling these insights, Trichotraupis griseonota This should serve as a reminder for ornithologists to never underestimate the potential for exciting new discoveries in a seemingly common set of bird skin specimens. ”
of study Published in a magazine zoo animals.
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Wagner Cavalzere others. 2024. A new species of golden butterfly (species: Traupidae) that lives on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains. zoo animals 5468 (3): 541-556;doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5468.3.7
Source: www.sci.news
