Summary
This paper reviews the biogeography, geographic variation, and habitat characteristics of the Amazilia Hummingbird (Amazilia amazilia). Based on morphological features, habitat preferences, and bioacoustics, I propose that the currently recognized subspeciesA. a. alticola should be regarded as a species distinct fromA. amazilia. Synapomorphic characters found in both taxa indicate membership of the same superspecies, together with the Colombian speciesA. castaneiventris. Considering the distributional focus ofA. alticola in the Andes of southern Ecuador, the English species name Loja Hummingbird is suggested.
Zusammenfassung
Die vorliegende Studie stellt die Ergebnisse von Untersuchungen zur Biogeographie, geographischen Variation, Habitatwahl und Taxonomie der Lesson-Amazilie (Amazilia amazilia) vor. Das Taxon umfaßt gegenwärtig fünf Unterarten, die von W-Ecuador bis SW-Peru verbreitet sind und überwiegend submontane Lebensräume besiedeln. Die Ventralfärbung unterliegt klinaler Variation; weiße Gefiederanteile nehmen von nördlichen zu südlichen Populationen ab, rotbraune Partien dagegen zu. Eigenständige morphologisch-morphometrische Kennzeichen sowie Unterschiede in den Habitatpräferenzen und in der Gesangsstruktur rechtfertigen es, die bisherige UnterartA. a. alticola als Paraspezies (A. alticola, Loja-Amazilie) anzuerkennen. Der Vulgärname weist auf den rezenten Verbreitungsschwerpunkt in den südecuadorianischen Anden hin. Aufgrund der engen Verwandtschaft bildenA. amazilia undA. alticola sowie die in Kolumbien endemische ArtA. castaneiventris eine Superspezies.
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Weller, AA. Biogeography, geographic variation and habitat preference in the Amazilia Hummingbird,Amazilia amazilia Lesson (Aves: Trochilidae), with notes on the status ofAmazilia alticola Gould. J Ornithol 141, 93–101 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651776
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651776