Taxonomic status of the Western Hemispingus Sphenopsis ochracea (Thraupidae) and a review of species limits in the genus Sphenopsis P. L. Sclater, 1861

Abstract

Summary. The genus Sphenopsis P. L. Sclater, 1861, has recently been restored to recognise the genetic monophyly of four Neotropical tanager species, formerly placed in the genus Hemispingus Cabanis, 1851, which are little known and poorly represented in museum collections: Oleaginous Hemispingus Sphenopsis frontalis (von Tschudi, 1844), Black-eared Hemispingus S. melanotis (P. L. Sclater, 1855), Western Hemispingus S. ochracea (von Berlepsch & Taczanowski, 1884) and Piura Hemispingus S. piurae (Chapman, 1923). Only ten study skins of S. ochracea are known in collections; prior to this study, just seven were known and no collection had adults of both sexes. The paucity of specimens has caused a considerable amount of confusion about the morphology of S. ochracea, both in published literature and private discussions among ornithologists. To review species limits, I assembled and photographed a comprehensive sample of study skins of Sphenopsis species, including S. ochracea study skins of both sexes, under a single light source, and compared plumage characters to published colour standards. I also quantified and analysed morphometric variation. These data expose multiple errors in published literature and scientific illustrations, and support recognition of S. ochracea and S. piurae at species rank.