A generic name for some sparrows (Aves: Emberizidae)

Abstract

Klicka and Spellman (2007) demonstrated convincingly that the genus Amphispiza Coues as then recognized is not monophyletic, i.e., that the two species (bilineata and belli) then assigned to it (American Ornithologists’ Union 1998) are not closely related. The species belli was shown to be a member of a well-resolved clade of “grassland” sparrows that includes the genera Pooecetes, Oriturus, Passerculus, Ammodramus (in part), Melospiza, and Xenospiza. Importantly, the taxonomic affinities of the putative congener bilineata lie elsewhere. It is part of a well-supported clade that contains the species quinquestriata (recently transferred from Aimophila to Amphispiza; Chesser et al. 2010) and the monotypic form Calamospiza (DaCosta et al. 2009). The type species of Amphispiza is Emberiza bilineata Cassin; therefore, a new generic name must be provided for belli and its close relatives. Klicka and Spellman (2007) suggested that Artemisospiza [sic] would be an appropriate name for belli, commonly called the Sage Sparrow, but did not propose it formally, as it did not meet the requirements of Article 13 of the ICZN (1999) Code. We now modify that suggestion and propose the following: