The ocellated antbird (Phaenostictus mcleannani) is a species of antbird in the familyThamnophilidae. It is monotypic within the genus Phaenostictus and is found in southern Central America and the northwestern part of South America. Its natural habitat is the understory of tropical moist lowland forest, foothill forest, and tall secondary growth woodlands.
The species is 19 cm long and weighs around 50 g. The eye is surrounded by a large area of bare blue coloured skin. The plumage varies slightly amongst the three subspecies, but overall it has a grey crown, black throat with a buff breast changing into a spotted belly and back.
The bird feeds primarily on insects, arthropods, and sometimes on small lizards. Most of its prey is obtained from trails of army ants, which flush the prey from hiding places. One such army ant species is Eciton burchellii. The ocellated antbird is considered an obligate follower of army ants, seldom foraging away from swarms. Amongst the species of antbirds and other army ant followers (such as tanagers and woodcreepers) it is usually a dominant species.
The social biology of this species is unusual for the antbird family. The breeding pair form the nucleus of a group or clan that includes their male offspring and their mates. These clans work together to defend territories against rivals. The open nest cup was only recently described, with a clutch of two eggs.[2]
The ocellated antbird was formally described in 1861 by the American amateur ornithologist George Newbold Lawrence and given the binomial namePhlogopsis mcleannani (misspelled as Meleannani). The specific epithet honours James McLeannan, a railway engineer on the Panama Canal Railway, who had collected the specimen in Panama.[3] The ocellated antbird is now placed in the genus Phaenostictus that was erected in 1909 by the American ornithologist Robert Ridgway.[4] The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greekphainō meaning "to display" and stiktos for "spotted".[5] Ridgway considered that the species was related to the genus Phlegopsis (the bare-eyes) but that it differed in having a longer tail, rounded nostrils and a few other characters.[4]
Molecular phylogenetic studies of the antbird family, Thamnophilidae, have found that the ocellated antbird sits in the tribe Pithyini and its closest relatives are found in the genus Pithys.[6]
The ocellated antbird is a medium-sized antbird, measuring 19 to 19.5 cm (7.5–7.7 in)[7] and weighing 44–58 g (1.6–2.0 oz). Females tend to be slightly smaller than males and weigh slightly less.[8] The plumage and bare parts of the male and female are the same. The eye is surrounded by a large bare blue patch of skin. The head and throat is black with a grey crown and a rufous nape. The upperparts and wing coverts are olive brown with black spots. The rest of the feathers of the wing are black edged with olive. The breast is rufous and belly is olive brown, both have large black spots. The bill is large and black. Juvenile birds have a darker crown, the rufous areas are brighter and the spots are reduced or absent.[7] The species conforms with Bergmann's rule, with birds closer to the Equator having smaller wings and bills than those further away.[8]
Distribution and habitat
The ocellated antbird ranges from Honduras to Ecuador. The race saturatus is found from northern and eastern Honduras through eastern Nicaragua, eastern and northern Costa Rica into the west of Panama. The nominate race is found in the rest of Panama and the Pacific slope as the Andean slope of western Colombia. The race pacificus is found in the extreme south of coastal Colombia and northwestern Ecuador.[7]
The ocellated antbird is a rainforest bird, being found in lowland and hill primary rainforest, as well as secondary forest. Within this habitat it occupies the understory of the forest, feeding and living close to the forest floor. It is found from sea-level up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) in Costa Rica, but only up as high as 900 m (3,000 ft) in Panama and Colombia and 700 m (2,300 ft) in Ecuador; it is more commonly found below 400 m (1,300 ft) in the later country.[7] They seldom enter or cross open areas, unless the ants that they are following do so.[9]
References
^BirdLife International (2016). "Phaenostictus mcleannani". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22701971A93855493. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22701971A93855493.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Buehler, Deborah M.; Castillo, Alberto I.; Brawn, Jeffrey D. (2004). "First nest description for the Ocellated Antbird (Phaenostictus mcleannani)". Wilson Bulletin. 116 (3): 277–279. doi:10.1676/04-006. S2CID 7030014.
^Lawrence, George Newbold (1862). "Descriptions of new species of birds of the genera Myiarcus and Phlogopsis". Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York. 7: 284–286 [285–286]. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1862.tb00157.x. The volume is dated 1862 but the article was published in 1861.
^ abRidgway, Robert (1909). "New genera, species and subspecies of Formicariidae, Furnariidae, and Dendrocolaptidae". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 22: 69–74 [70].
^Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 300. ISBN978-1-4081-2501-4.
^Isler, M. L.; Bravo, G. A.; Brumfield, R. T. (2013). "Taxonomic revision of Myrmeciza (Aves: Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) into 12 genera based on phylogenetic, morphological, behavioral, and ecological data". Zootaxa. 3717 (4): 469–97. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3717.4.3. PMID 26176119.
^ abcdeZimmer, K; Isler, M (2019). del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David A; de Juana, Eduardo (eds.). "Ocellated Antbird (Phaenostictus mcleannani)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
Willis, Edwin O. (1973). The Behavior of Ocellated Antbirds. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, Number 144. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press. hdl:10088/5255.
January 09, 2023
ocellated, antbird, ocellated, antbird, phaenostictus, mcleannani, species, antbird, family, thamnophilidae, monotypic, within, genus, phaenostictus, found, southern, central, america, northwestern, part, south, america, natural, habitat, understory, tropical,. The ocellated antbird Phaenostictus mcleannani is a species of antbird in the family Thamnophilidae It is monotypic within the genus Phaenostictus and is found in southern Central America and the northwestern part of South America Its natural habitat is the understory of tropical moist lowland forest foothill forest and tall secondary growth woodlands Ocellated antbirdConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily ThamnophilidaeGenus PhaenostictusRidgway 1909Species P mcleannaniBinomial namePhaenostictus mcleannani Lawrence 1861 The species is 19 cm long and weighs around 50 g The eye is surrounded by a large area of bare blue coloured skin The plumage varies slightly amongst the three subspecies but overall it has a grey crown black throat with a buff breast changing into a spotted belly and back The bird feeds primarily on insects arthropods and sometimes on small lizards Most of its prey is obtained from trails of army ants which flush the prey from hiding places One such army ant species is Eciton burchellii The ocellated antbird is considered an obligate follower of army ants seldom foraging away from swarms Amongst the species of antbirds and other army ant followers such as tanagers and woodcreepers it is usually a dominant species The social biology of this species is unusual for the antbird family The breeding pair form the nucleus of a group or clan that includes their male offspring and their mates These clans work together to defend territories against rivals The open nest cup was only recently described with a clutch of two eggs 2 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 References 4 1 Cited textTaxonomy Edit Illustration by Joseph Smit from 1869 The ocellated antbird was formally described in 1861 by the American amateur ornithologist George Newbold Lawrence and given the binomial name Phlogopsis mcleannani misspelled as Meleannani The specific epithet honours James McLeannan a railway engineer on the Panama Canal Railway who had collected the specimen in Panama 3 The ocellated antbird is now placed in the genus Phaenostictus that was erected in 1909 by the American ornithologist Robert Ridgway 4 The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek phainō meaning to display and stiktos for spotted 5 Ridgway considered that the species was related to the genus Phlegopsis the bare eyes but that it differed in having a longer tail rounded nostrils and a few other characters 4 Molecular phylogenetic studies of the antbird family Thamnophilidae have found that the ocellated antbird sits in the tribe Pithyini and its closest relatives are found in the genus Pithys 6 Three subspecies have been described 7 P m saturatus Richmond 1896 P m mcleannani Lawrence 1861 P m pacificus Hellmayr 1924Description EditThe ocellated antbird is a medium sized antbird measuring 19 to 19 5 cm 7 5 7 7 in 7 and weighing 44 58 g 1 6 2 0 oz Females tend to be slightly smaller than males and weigh slightly less 8 The plumage and bare parts of the male and female are the same The eye is surrounded by a large bare blue patch of skin The head and throat is black with a grey crown and a rufous nape The upperparts and wing coverts are olive brown with black spots The rest of the feathers of the wing are black edged with olive The breast is rufous and belly is olive brown both have large black spots The bill is large and black Juvenile birds have a darker crown the rufous areas are brighter and the spots are reduced or absent 7 The species conforms with Bergmann s rule with birds closer to the Equator having smaller wings and bills than those further away 8 Distribution and habitat EditThe ocellated antbird ranges from Honduras to Ecuador The race saturatus is found from northern and eastern Honduras through eastern Nicaragua eastern and northern Costa Rica into the west of Panama The nominate race is found in the rest of Panama and the Pacific slope as the Andean slope of western Colombia The race pacificus is found in the extreme south of coastal Colombia and northwestern Ecuador 7 The ocellated antbird is a rainforest bird being found in lowland and hill primary rainforest as well as secondary forest Within this habitat it occupies the understory of the forest feeding and living close to the forest floor It is found from sea level up to 1 200 m 3 900 ft in Costa Rica but only up as high as 900 m 3 000 ft in Panama and Colombia and 700 m 2 300 ft in Ecuador it is more commonly found below 400 m 1 300 ft in the later country 7 They seldom enter or cross open areas unless the ants that they are following do so 9 References Edit BirdLife International 2016 Phaenostictus mcleannani IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22701971A93855493 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22701971A93855493 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Buehler Deborah M Castillo Alberto I Brawn Jeffrey D 2004 First nest description for the Ocellated Antbird Phaenostictus mcleannani Wilson Bulletin 116 3 277 279 doi 10 1676 04 006 S2CID 7030014 Lawrence George Newbold 1862 Descriptions of new species of birds of the genera Myiarcus and Phlogopsis Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York 7 284 286 285 286 doi 10 1111 j 1749 6632 1862 tb00157 x The volume is dated 1862 but the article was published in 1861 a b Ridgway Robert 1909 New genera species and subspecies of Formicariidae Furnariidae and Dendrocolaptidae Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 22 69 74 70 Jobling James A 2010 The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names London Christopher Helm p 300 ISBN 978 1 4081 2501 4 Isler M L Bravo G A Brumfield R T 2013 Taxonomic revision of Myrmeciza Aves Passeriformes Thamnophilidae into 12 genera based on phylogenetic morphological behavioral and ecological data Zootaxa 3717 4 469 97 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 3717 4 3 PMID 26176119 a b c d e Zimmer K Isler M 2019 del Hoyo Josep Elliott Andrew Sargatal Jordi Christie David A de Juana Eduardo eds Ocellated Antbird Phaenostictus mcleannani Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive Barcelona Lynx Edicions Retrieved 3 March 2019 a b Willis 1973 p 3 Willis 1973 p 10 Cited text Edit Willis Edwin O 1973 The Behavior of Ocellated Antbirds Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Number 144 Washington Smithsonian Institution Press hdl 10088 5255 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ocellated antbird amp oldid 1121681023, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
