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Issue: Vol. 5683 No. 4: 22 Aug. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-08-22
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5683.4.2
Page range: 492-512
Abstract views: 157
PDF downloaded: 3

Towards a more coherent taxonomy for the woodcreepers Xiphorhynchus guttatus and X. guttatoides (Aves: Passeriformes: Dendrocolaptidae)

Setor de Ornitologia; Departamento de Vertebrados; Museu Nacional/UFRJ; Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão; 875; São Cristóvão; 20941-160; Rio de Janeiro; RJ; Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciencias Biológicas (Zoologia) do Museu Nacional/UFRJ (PPGZOO)
Setor de Ornitologia; Departamento de Vertebrados; Museu Nacional/UFRJ; Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão; 875; São Cristóvão; 20941-160; Rio de Janeiro; RJ; Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciencias Biológicas (Zoologia) do Museu Nacional/UFRJ (PPGZOO); Scientific Associate; Bird Group; Natural History Museum; Akeman Street; Tring; Herts. HP23 6AP; UK; Research Associate; Field Museum of Natural History; 1400 South Lakeshore Drive; Chicago; IL 60605; USA
Setor de Ornitologia; Departamento de Vertebrados; Museu Nacional/UFRJ; Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão; 875; São Cristóvão; 20941-160; Rio de Janeiro; RJ; Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciencias Biológicas (Zoologia) do Museu Nacional/UFRJ (PPGZOO)
Centro Biomédico; Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes; Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro; Rua São Francisco Xavier; 524; Pavilhão Haroldo Lisboa da Cunha; sala 520b; Maracanã; 20550013; Rio de Janeiro; RJ; Brazil
Departamento Zoologia; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade de São Paulo; Rua do Matão; Trav. 14; 101; Edif. Zoologia; 05508- 900; São Paulo; SP; Brazil
Setor de Ornitologia; Departamento de Vertebrados; Museu Nacional/UFRJ; Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão; 875; São Cristóvão; 20941-160; Rio de Janeiro; RJ; Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciencias Biológicas (Zoologia) do Museu Nacional/UFRJ (PPGZOO)
Aves diversity woodcreepers South America species limits

Abstract

We reviewed alpha taxonomy of Xiphorhynchus guttatus and X. guttatoides (Aves: Dendrocolaptidae), which were historically considered conspecific and are now treated as comprising three and four subspecies, respectively. Our aim was to improve knowledge of the group’s evolution and diversity. Based on our own analyses of morphological data and comparison with previously published molecular studies, under the Phylogenetic Species Concept this group is shown to contain five taxa that are considered to represent valid species: Xiphorhynchus guttatus, X. polystictus, X. guttatoides, X. vicinalis and X. eytoni. Our results reinforce the importance of using multiple sets of characters and a philosophically robust species concept, as well as an appropriate alignment between the chosen concept and the methodology for determining specific limits to resolve the taxonomy of complex species groups.

 

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How to Cite

Raposo, M.A., Kirwan, G.M., Fonseca, O., Selvatti, A.P., Höfling, E. & Stopiglia, R. (2025) Towards a more coherent taxonomy for the woodcreepers Xiphorhynchus guttatus and X. guttatoides (Aves: Passeriformes: Dendrocolaptidae). Zootaxa, 5683 (4), 492–512. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5683.4.2