Mountaingem

Last updated

Mountaingem
Purple-throated mountaingem female.JPG
Purple-throated mountaingem (Lampornis calolaemus) in Costa Rica
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Tribe: Lampornithini
Genus: Lampornis
Swainson, 1827
Type species
Lampornis amethystinus [1]
Swainson, 1827
Species

6-8, see text

Mountaingems are a genus of hummingbirds, Lampornis, which inhabit mountainous regions from the south-western United States to the Isthmus of Panama.

These are medium-sized to large (10–13 cm) hummingbirds with shortish slightly curved black bills. The males typically have green upperparts and a brightly coloured throat, which is a dull colour in the female. The females of some species also may differ significantly from the males in other plumage features.

The female mountaingem is entirely responsible for nest building and incubation. She lays two white eggs in a deep plant-fibre cup nest. Incubation takes 15–19 days, and fledging another 20–26.

The food of this genus is nectar, taken from a variety of small flowers. Like other hummingbirds, mountaingems also takes small insects as an essential source of protein.

Systematics

6-8 species have been traditionally recognized, the main point of dispute being whether the southern forms which have fulvous-breasted females, found from Nicaragua to Panama, are one ("variable mountaingem"), two, or three species. Analysis of biogeography and mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences by García-Moreno et al. (2006) have largely confirmed the arrangement and the suspected evolutionary relationships, but a few surprising results have emerged:

First, the white-throated mountaingem and the gray-tailed mountaingem are probably conspecific, but the purple-throated mountaingem seems to be a distinct species. However, the southern group has apparently evolved in a very short time and their conspicuous differences in appearance are not yet reflected in molecular divergence; as mates are of course chosen according to their appearance and not their molecular differences, it seems prudent to split the group according to throat color as advocated by the American Ornithological Society. However, the speciation process is ongoing.

Second, the exact relationship between the suspected sister taxa L. clemenciae and L. amethystinus, the northernmost species, is not as straightforward as assumed; it is not clear whether they are each other's close relatives or whether the blue-throated hummingbird is the oldest lineage of the genus, the amethyst-throated hummingbird diverging later. In addition, L. amethystinus may constitute two species, but not the violet-throated subspecies margaritae but the southernmost, red-throated forms are the most distinct ones.

Most puzzling, however, is the fact that the white-bellied mountaingem constantly failed to form a monophyletic group with the other taxa. These results suggest that it is better placed in the monotypic genus Oreopyra, the relationships of which need more study. It might be closely related to the fiery-throated hummingbird, but these two species are very different at least morphologically. The garnet-throated hummingbird, which is sometimes considered to be the closest relative of the mountaingems, is indeed not distantly related to the group, but closer to the Eugenes hummingbirds. It is intermediate in appearance between Lampornis and those species.

García-Moreno's team refrains to date the emergence of the genus because of the absence of fossils or other robust evidence. It can be assumed though that Lampornis was present at the closing of the Isthmus of Panama, about 3.8 MYA, and that by that time, the northernmost lineage(s) had already diverged.

These results are interesting, because they agree with a general trend for southern Mexican taxa (including to colonize the Isthmus and there form distinct species. Also, the Isthmus group of Lampornis provides a glimpse at an intermediate stage in evolution, with one form (L. calolaema) having recently evolved into a distinct species, while its white-throated relatives are in the process of splitting into two species but have not yet done so. mtDNA (which is inherited from the mother only) suggests that the purple-throated mountaingem still can form fertile hybrids with the white-throated forms and indeed not infrequently does so.

According to the updated taxonomy, the species are:

ImageCommon NameScientific nameDistribution
Blue-throated Hummingbird South Fork Cave Creek AZ 2015-07-01at11-18-138 (33930794408).jpg Blue-throated mountaingem Lampornis clemenciaeMexico and the United States.
Lampornis amethystinus 21183923.jpg Amethyst-throated mountaingem Lampornis amethystinusEl Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico
Lampornis viridipallens 13729378.jpg Green-throated mountaingem Lampornis viridipallensEl Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico
Lampornis sybillae (female).jpg Green-breasted mountaingem Lampornis sybillaeHonduras and Nicaragua
Purple-throated Moutain-Gem (6901527484).jpg Purple-throated mountaingem Lampornis calolaemusCosta Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.
White-throated Mountain-gem.jpg White-throated mountaingem Lampornis castaneoventrisPanama.
Grey-tailed Mountain-gem (49548569663).jpg Gray-tailed mountaingem Lampornis cinereicaudaCosta Rica.
White-bellied Mountain-gem (Oreopyra hemileucus).jpg White-bellied mountaingem Lampornis hemileucusCosta Rica and Panama.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-throated mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The blue-throated mountaingem, also known as the blue-throated mountain-gem or blue-throated hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in the United States and Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magenta-throated woodstar</span> Species of hummingbird

The magenta-throated woodstar is a species of hummingbird in tribe Mellisugini of subfamily Trochilinae, the "bee hummingbirds". It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rivoli's hummingbird</span> Species of hummingbird

Rivoli's hummingbird, also known as the magnificent hummingbird, is a species of hummingbird in the "mountain gems", tribe Lampornithini in subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scintillant hummingbird</span> Species of bird

The scintillant hummingbird is a hummingbird endemic to Costa Rica and Panama. This species is replaced at higher elevations by its relative, the volcano hummingbird, S. flammula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-tailed mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The grey-tailed mountaingem, also variously spelled gray-tailed mountaingem, grey-tailed mountain-gem, or gray-tailed mountain-gem, is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to Costa Rica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple-throated mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The purple-throated mountaingem is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-throated mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The white-throated mountaingem or white-throated mountain-gem is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common chlorospingus</span> Species of bird

The common chlorospingus, also referred to as common bush tanager, is a small passerine bird. It is a resident breeder in the highlands from central Mexico south to Bolivia and northwest Argentina. C. flavopectus in the loose sense is a notorious cryptic species complex, and several of the up to 25 subspecies recognized in recent times are likely to be distinct species. Some populations in fact appear to be more distinct than several other members of Chlorospingus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talamancan montane forests</span>

The Talamancan montane forests ecoregion, in the tropical moist broadleaf forest biome, are in montane Costa Rica and western Panama in Central America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiny hawk</span> Species of bird

The tiny hawk is a small diurnal bird of prey found in or near forests, primarily humid, throughout much of the Neotropics. It is primarily a bird-eater, and is known to prey on hummingbirds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snowy-bellied hummingbird</span>

The snowy-bellied hummingbird, also known as snowy-breasted hummingbird, is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in mostly in Costa Rica and Panama with a few records in Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green-and-white hummingbird</span>

The green-and-white hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is endemic to Peru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amethyst-throated mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The amethyst-throated mountaingem, also called amethyst-throated mountain-gem or amethyst-throated hummingbird, is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-bellied mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The white-bellied mountaingem or white-bellied mountain-gem is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green-breasted mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The green-breasted mountaingem or green-breasted mountain-gem is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Honduras and Nicaragua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green-throated mountaingem</span> Species of hummingbird

The green-throated mountaingem or green-throated mountain-gem is a species of hummingbird in tribe Lampornithini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sapphire-throated hummingbird</span> Species of bird

The sapphire-throated hummingbird is a shiny metallic-green hummingbird found in Panama, Colombia, and more recently Costa Rica. The sapphire-throated hummingbird is separated into three subspecies; Chrysuronia coeruleogularis coeruleogularis, Chrysuronia coeruleogularis coelina, and Chrysuronia coeruleogularis conifis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiery topaz</span> Species of hummingbird

The fiery topaz is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It has brilliant iridescent plumage and resides in northern South America, where it consumes nectar and insects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lampornithini</span> Tribe of birds

Lampornithini is one of the three tribes that make up the subfamily Trochilinae in the hummingbird family Trochilidae. The other two tribes in the subfamily are Mellisugini (bees) and Trochilini (emeralds).

References

  1. "Trochilidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-08-05.