Nomenclatural corrections, neotype designation and new subspecies description in the genus Suiriri (Aves: Passeriformes: Tyrannidae)
Author
Kirwan, Guy M.
Author
Steinheimer, Frank D.
Author
Raposo, Marcos A.
Author
Zimmer, Kevin J.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3784
3
224
240
journal article
46111
10.11646/zootaxa.3784.3.2
820c8673-ec49-4b25-a388-a284f0a9fe22
1175-5326
251229
644DF60B-F00C-40CE-8AFD-9D52C3010A6D
Burmeister’s
Suiriri
,
subsp. nov.
As
first noted by Reinhardt (1870) and subsequently speculated about to varying degrees by
Cory and Hellmayr (1927)
,
Hellmayr (1929)
and,
inter alia
,
Zimmer (1955)
,
Traylor (1982)
and
Ridgely and Tudor (1994: 428)
, two morphotypes, a long-billed and a short-billed form, were long included within what was known as
Suiriri suiriri affinis
(yellow-bellied birds). However, it was not until the work of
Zimmer
et al
. (2001)
that it became apparent that these morphotypes also possess different vocalisations, and that the two forms occur alongside one another in perfect syntopy and wide sympatry. Nevertheless,
Zimmer
et al
. (2001)
, in revealing the presence of this cryptic species, erred by applying the epithet
affinis
to the wrong taxon. This leaves the birds formerly known as
Suiriri affinis
,
nec
Burmeister,
sensu
Traylor (1979)
,
Sibley and Monroe (1990)
,
Ridgely and Tudor (1994)
,
Zimmer
et al
. (2001)
,
Dickinson (2003)
,
Fitzpatrick (2004)
and many others, without an available name. Given that relationships among different populations and the contact zones between different geographical forms are potentially subject to future revision, we elect here to follow most other recent authors and treat
Suiriri affinis
,
nec
Burmeister, as one of the three subspecies of
S. suiriri
. We therefore propose: