Scaled Ground Cuckoo (1 Viewer)

[Richard Klim]

Firme, Pinto de Assis, Graves & Raposo 2014. Taxonomic status of Scaled Ground Cuckoo Neomorphus squamiger Todd, 1925. Bull BOC 134(3): 224–231.

SUMMARY.—Scaled Ground Cuckoo Neomorphus squamiger Todd, 1925, is a rare and poorly known taxon from Pará and Amazonas, Brazil. Most taxonomic authorities have treated it as a subspecies of Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo N. geoffroyi owing to plumage similarities and distribution. The aim of this study was to review the taxonomic status of N. squamiger in the light of a new specimen from the east bank of the rio Xingu, representing a significant eastward range extension. Examination of the 17 known specimens of N. squamiger revealed that the diagnostic characters are relatively invariable across its restricted geographic range in the Madeira–Tapajós–Xingu–Tocantins interfluvia. The rio Xingu specimen exhibits no signs of intergradation with the nearest population of N. geoffroyi, east of the rio Tocantins. The absence of intergradation and the previously reported difference in mitochondrial DNA between N. squamiger and N. geoffroyi suggest that N. squamiger should be treated as a species.

N squamiger is treated as a distinct species by Erritzøe et al 2012 (Cuckoos of the World), AOU, IOC and eBird/Clements; but not by HBW/BirdLife or H&M4.

HBW/BirdLife 2014 (Illustrated Checklist 1)...

Race squamiger sometimes treated as a full species but this seems inappropriate, as its range sits inside mosaic of ranges of other races, and evidence for split seems weak; major plumage difference involves reduced or non-existent lower black breast-line, but similar absence noted extralimitally, and it has recently been speculated as a possible feature of the still unknown juvenile plumage of geoffroyi; geographical variation largely clinal, and populations intergrade.

Payne 1997 (HBW 4).

AOU-SACC...

Neomorphus squamiger was treated as subspecies of geoffroyi by Payne (1997, 2005) and Dickinson & Remsen (2013); they were treated as forming a superspecies by Sibley & Monroe (1990). proposal badly needed.