Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Subsectio: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Infraclassis: Aves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Tyranni
Infraordo: Tyrannides
Parvordo: Furnariida
Superfamilia: Formicaroidea
Familia: Melanopareiidae
Genus: Melanopareia
Species: Melanopareia elegans
Subspecies: M. e. elegans – M. e. paucalensis
Name
Melanopareia elegans (Lesson, 1844)
Type locality: Guayaquil, western Ecuador.
Combinations
Synallaxis elegans (protonym)
Synonyms
Formicivora speciosa Salvin, 1876 Ibis p. 494
References
Lesson, R.P. 1844. Catalogue des oiseaux nouveaux ou peu connus de la collection Abeillé. L'Écho du monde savant et l'Hermès: journal analytique des nouvelles et des cours scientifiques (2) 11 no.4 col.80–81; no.7 col.155–158; no.8 col.182–184; no.9 col.203–207;no.12 col.275–277 BHL; no.13 col.302–304 BHL; no.15 col.347–349 BHLReference page. Original description no. 13 col. 303 BHL
Vernacular names
English: Elegant crescentchest
español: Pecholuna elegante
The elegant crescentchest (Melanopareia elegans) is a species of bird in the family Melanopareiidae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.[2]
Taxonomy and systematics
The crescentchests (genus Melanopareia) were previously included in family Rhinocryptidae, the tapaculos. A 2010 publication confirmed earlier work and created their present genus.[3][4] The elegant crescentchest and the Marañón crescentchest (Melanopareia maranonica) might form a superspecies.[3] Two subspecies of elegant crescentchest are recognized, the nominate Melanopareia elegans elegans and M. e. paucalensis.
Description
The elegant crescentchest is 14.5 cm (5.7 in) long. Males weigh 16.0 to 20.2 g (0.56 to 0.71 oz) and females 15.5 to 19.0 g (0.55 to 0.67 oz) Males of both subspecies have a black crown, nape, and mask and a creamy supercilium. The back and rump are olive-brown. Its throat is white or pale buff that is darker around the margins and a black "bib" is below it. The upper chest is dark chestnut fading to tawny on the flanks and belly. The nominate female is similar, but the crown is sooty and there is no dark chestnut on the chest. The female M. e. paucalensis is like the nominate except that its crown is the same olive-brown as the back.[5]
Distribution and habitat
The elegant crescentchest is found discontinuously along the coast of Ecuador from Manabí Province south into Peru as far south as the Department of La Libertad. The nominate is in Ecuador and M. e. paucalensis is in Peru, and birds in far southern Ecuador might be intergrades between the two subspecies. Its principal habitat is scrub and undergrowth in semi-arid woodland; it can also be found in more humid disturbed areas. In Ecuador it ranges from near sea level usually to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) and locally to 2,400 m (7,900 ft). It Peru it reaches only as high as 1,700 m (5,600 ft).[5]
Behavior
Feeding
The elegant crescentchest's diet has not been reported. It forages alone by hopping through dense cover on and near the ground.[5]
Breeding
Almost nothing is known about the elegant crescentchest's breeding phenology. Three nests have been described. They were constructed of dry strips of cactus and weeds, were enclosed with a side entrance, and hidden on the ground.[5]
Vocalization
The elegant crescentchest's song is "a series of..."chuck" notes" [1]. Its scold call is "a dry penetrating churr" [2].[5]
Status
The IUCN has assessed the elegant crescentchest as being of Least Concern.[1] Though it has a somewhat restricted range, it occurs in several protected areas and tolerates habitat disturbance.[5]
References
BirdLife International (2016). "Elegant Crescentchest Melanopareia elegans". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (January 2021). "IOC World Bird List (v 11.1)". Retrieved January 14, 2021.
Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 19 January 2021. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved January 19, 2021
Ericson, P.G.P.; Olson, S.L.; Irestedt, M.; Alvarenga, H.; Fjeldså, J. (2010). "Circumscription of a monophyletic family for the tapaculos (Aves: Rhinocryptidae): Psiloramphus [sic] in and Melanopareia out". Journal of Ornithology. 151: 337–345.
Krabbe, N., T. S. Schulenberg, and E. de Juana (2020). Elegant Crescentchest (Melanopareia elegans), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.elecre1.01 retrieved May 3, 2021
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