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Birds of North and Middle America, part V/Genus 16. Gymnocichla Sclater

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Genus GYMNOCICHLA Sclater.

Gymnocichla Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1858, 274, (Type, Myiothera nudiceps Cassin.)

Medium-sized Formicariidæ (length about 140-160 mm.) resembling the larger and stouter species of Myrmeciza, but with bill weaker, less compressed anteriorly and less strongly uncinate, the culmen less distinctly ridged; nostril smaller; relatively shorter tarsus (only two-fifths as long as wing) , with acrotarsium distinctly scutellate; tail shorter (not more than four-fifths as long as wing), the adult males with loral and suborbital regions (sometimes whole pileum) naked.

Bill about as long as head, narrowly wedge-shaped in vertical profile (with nearly straight lateral outlines), its width at posterior end of nostrils about equal to its depth at same point and equal to a little less than half the distance from nostril to tip of maxilla; culmen slightly ridged, straight to near tip where abruptly decurved, the point of maxilla slightly or minutely uncinate; tomium straight, with small subterminal notch, that of the mandible less distinct; gonys ​strongly convex and prominent basally, faintly convex and ascending terminally. Nostril exposed, small, longitudinally broadly oval, margined above by a narrow extension of the membraneous integument of nasal fossa, an internal tubercle showing conspicuously in posterior portion. No trace of rictal bristles, and feathers of chin without terminal setæ. Wing moderate, very much rounded, but longest primaries extending decidedly beyond secondaries; sixth and seventh, fifth and sixth, or fourth, fifth, and sixth primaries longest, the tenth (outermost) between one-half and three-fifths as long as the longest, the eighth slightly longer, the ninth decidedly shorter, than secondaries. Tail about four-fifths as long as wing, much rounded (graduation not greater than length of culmen), the rectrices (12) broad, rounded terminally. Tarsus about two-fifths as long as wing, rather slender, the acrotarsium distinctly scutellate, the planta fused (sometimes indistinctly scutellate on outer side); middle toe, with claw, much shorter than tarsus, but decidedly longer than whole cuhnen; outer toe, without claw, reaching to or slightly beyond middle of subterminal phalanx of middle toe, the inner toe slightly shorter; hallux shorter than inner toe but much stouter; basal phalanx of middle toe wholly or for much the greater part united to outer toe, about half united to inner toe; claws moderate in size and curvature, that of the hallux decidedly shorter than the digit. Plumage full and blended, that of rump and flanks more lengthened and lax; loral, rictal, and orbital regions — sometimes forehead and crown also — naked, the crown with sparse hair-like feathers or bristles.

Coloration. — Adult males uniform black, -the wing-coverts (at least some of the lesser coverts) tipped with white, the back sometimes with a small concealed patch of white; adult females and young males brown above, tawny or rufescent below; bare skin of head light blue in life (in both sexes).

Range. — Honduras to Colombia. (Two species.)

KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF GTMNOCICHLA.

a. General color black. (Males.)

b. Forehead, lores, and more or less of crown nude. (Adult males.)
c. Anterior margin of lesser wing-covert area mostly black; bill black. (Gymnocichla nudiceps.)
d. Deeper black, the posterior under parts black; smaller under wing-coverts mostly wholly black.
e. Smaller (averaging: wing 76.4, tail 57.7, culmen 20.6, tarsus 29.4). (Eastern Panamá and adjacent parts of northwestern Colombia.)
Gymnocichla nudiceps nudiceps, adult male (p. 99).
ee. Larger (averaging: wing 78.9, tail 61.7, culmen, 20.9, tarsus 30). (Northwestern Panamá and western Costa Rica.)
Gymnocichla nudiceps erratilis, adult male (p. 101).
​
dd. Duller black, the posterior under parts blackish slate; smaller under wing-coverts broadly tipped with white. (Coast district of northeastern Colombia.)
'Gymnocichla nudiceps sancta-martæ, adult male (extralimital).[1]
cc. Anterior margin of lesser wing-covert area broadly white; bill whitish or light yellowish. (Eastern Costa Rica to eastern Guatemala.)
Gymnocichla chiroleuca, adult male (p. 101).
bb. Forehead, lores, and crown feathered. (Immature males.)[2]

aa. General color brown above, deep tawny below. (Adult females.)

b. Wing-coverts brown, indistinctly tipped with rufous-tawny. (Gymnocichla nudiceps.)
c. Slightly paler and smaller (wing averaging 73.6, tail 55.4, culmen 19.7, tarsus 29.2)
Gymnocichla nudiceps nudiceps, adult female (p. 99).
cc. Slightly darker and larger (wing averaging 75.1, tail 59.3, culmen 19.9, tarsus 29.4)
Gymnocichla nudiceps erratilis, adult female (p. 101).[3]
bb. Wing-coverts blackish, broadly tipped with bright tawny.
Gymnocichla chiroleuca, adult female (p. 102).

GYMNOCICHLA NUDICEPS NUDICEPS (Cassin).

BAKE-CROWNED ANTBIRD.

Adult male. — Uniform black, slightly duller on rump, upper tail- coverts, and posterior under parts, the latter inclining to slate-black; all the wing-coverts margined terminally with white, alulæ and outer- most primary edged with white, and rectrices (except middle pair) narrowly tipped with white; smaller under wing-coverts uniform black, the under primary coverts slate color or slate-gray, broadly margined with white; inner webs of remiges broadly edged with pale gray or grayish white; naked skin of head bright light blue in life; bill black; iris brown; legs and feet horn color or dusky (bluish gray or grayish blue in life?); length (skins), 143-157 (152); wing, 73.5- 80.5 (76.1); tail, 54-60 (57.1); culmen, 19.5-21.5 (20.6); tarsus, 28.5-30.5 (29.6); middle toe, 18-20.5 (18.9).[4]

Immature male (= Myrmelastes corvinus Lawrence and M. ceterus Bangs). — Similar to the adult male but whole pileum feathered (only the loral and orbital regions being naked) and greater wing-coverts wholly dark sooty brown or sooty black (without white tips).

Adult female. — Above plain olive-brown, russet-brown or mummy brown, the wings more rufescent (chestnut-brown), with tips of wing- coverts (rather broadly) deep cinnamon-rufous, rufous-chestnut or deep tawny; tail dark russet-brown or vandyke brown, the rectrices (except middle pair) sometimes (usually?) narrowly tipped with pale ​rusty or whitish; interscapulars extensively white basally; under parts plain deep tawny or rufous-tawny to nearly chestnut, the color deepest on chest, palest on abdomen, the flanks tinged with olive; maxilla blackish, becoming more horn colored terminally; mandible horn color, paler (sometimes whitish) terminally; iris brown; legs and feet horn color (bluish gray or grayish blue in life); length (skins), 148-152 (150); wing, 72-76 (73.6); tail, 53.5-57 (55.4); culmen, 19-20.5 (19.7); tarsus, 28-30 (29.2); middle toe, 18-19.5 (18.8).[5]

Eastern Panamá (Loma del León; Panamá) and adjacent portion of northwestern Colombia (Rio Atrato).

Myioihera nudiceps Cassin, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1850, 106, pl. 6 (Isthmus Panamá; coll. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.).
Pyriglena nudiceps Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1854, 113, part (Isthmus Panamá); 1857, 47, in text.
Gymnocichla nudiceps Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1858, 274 (monogr.); Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xv, 1890, 272, part (Lion Hill; Panamá). — Lawrence, Ann. Lyc. N. Y., vii, 1862, 295 (Lion Hill; Panamá). — Sclater and Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1864, 356 (Lion Hill, crit.; descr. female). — Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 223, part (Lion Hill, Panamá). — Bangs, Proc. New Engl. Zool. Club, ii, 1900, 24 (Lion Hill, Panamá).
[Gymnocichla] nudiceps Sclater and Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 73, part. — Sharpe, Hand-list, iii, 1901, 32, part.
G[ymnocichla] nudiceps nudiceps Ridgway, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., xxi, 1908, 194, in text.
Pithys rufigularis (not of Sclater, ex Turdus rufigula Boddaert) Lawrence, Ann. Lyc. N. Y., vii, 1862, 293 (Lion Hill, Panamá; = adult female).
Myrmeciza ferruginea Lawrence, Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. N. Y., vii, 1862, 470 (Lion Hill, Panamá; = adult female; see Sclater and Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1864, 356).
Myrmelastes corvinus (not Thamnophilus corvinus Gould) Lawrence, Ibis, v, April, 1863, 182 (Lion Hill, Panamá Railway; coll. G. N. Lawrence); Ann. Lyc. N. Y., viii, 1863, 485 (Lion Hill).
Myrmelastes lawrencii, part, Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 226, part (Lion Hill, Panamá). ​
Myrmelastes ceterus Bangs, Proc. New Engl. Zool. Club, ii, Sept. 20, 1900, 25 (Loma del León, i. e.. Lion Hill, Panamá; coll. E. A. and O. Bangs).
[Myrmelastes] ceterus Sharpe, Hand-list, iii, 1901, 32.

GYMNOCICHLA NUDICEPS ERRATILIS Bangs.

COSTA RICAN BARE-CROWNED ANTBIRD.

Similar to G. n. nudiceps but averaging slightly larger, the adult female averaging more intense in coloration.[6]

Adult male. — Length (skins), 147-163.5 (153.5); wing, 75.5-83 (78.9); tail, 59.5-64.5 (61.7); exposed culmen, 20-22 (20.9); tarsus, 29.5-30.5 (30); middle toe, 19-20 (19.4).[7]

Adult female. — Length (skins), 137.5-153 (148); wing, 72.5-77.5 (75.1); tail, 56-62 (59.3); exposed culmen, 19-21 (19.9); tarsus, 29-30 (29.4); middle toe, 18-19.5 (18.9).[7]

Southwestern Costa Rica (Boruca; Pozo del Rio Grande, Boruca; Térraba; Paso Reál de Térraba; Buenos Aires; El Generál; Pigres), and northwestern Panamá (Divala;[8] Mina de Chorcha; Bugaba; Chitra)?

(?) Gymnocichla nudiceps (not Myiothera nudiceps Cassin?) Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1870, 195, part (Mina de Chorcha and Bugaba, Verágua, Panamá; crit.). — Sclater, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus.,xv, 1890, 272, part (Mina de Chorcha, Bugaba, Chiriquí, and Chitra, Panamá). — Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 223, part (Chiriquí, Bugaba, Minade Chorcha, and Chitra, Panamá).
Gymnocichla nudiceps (not Myiothera nudiceps Cassin) Cherrie, Expl. Zool. Merid. Costa Rica, 1893, 42 (Boruca, Térraba, and Buenos Aires, s. w. Costa Rica; crit.).
Gymnocichla nudiceps erratilis Bangs, Auk, xxiv, no. 3, July, 1907, 297 (Boruca, s. w. Costa Rica; coll. E. A. and 0. Bangs). — Carriker, Ann. Carnegie Mus., d, 1910, 620 (Costa Rica; crit.; habits).

GYMNOCICHLA CHIROLEUCA Sclater and Salvin.

BARE-FRONTED ANTBIRD.

Similar to G. nudiceps but adult male with bend of wing white and white tips to wing-coverts broader, much less of concealed white on back, and bill paler (plumbeous in life, whitish — at least terminally — in dried skins); adult female with wing-coverts very much darker, contrasting much more strongly with their tawny or rufescent tips.

Adult male. — General color uniform black; bend of wing, broad tips to all the wing-coverts, and broad edging to outermost feather of alula and outermost primary, white; feathers of anterior portion ​of interscapular area with more or less of white at base; lateral rectrices sometimes narrowly tipped with white; bare skin of head pale blue (azure or campanula blue back of eyes) ; bill, tarsi, feet, and claws plumbeous; iris dark red;[9] length (skins), 147-170 (160); wing, 76.5-81.5 (79); tail, 58-64 (60.9); culmen 20-23 (21.7); tarsus, 29-32 (31.1); middle toe, 18.5-20.5 (19.4).[10]

Immature male (= Myrmelastes lawrencii Salvin and Godman). — Similar to the adult male but entire pileum feathered (only the loral and orbital regions being naked) and greater wing-coverts wholly black.

Adult female. — Pileum and hindneck rufescent brown (nearly mummy brown), somewhat more rufescent anteriorly and laterally; back, scapulars, and rump plain deep olive, the upper tail-coverts more rufescent; tail dark warm-sepia brown; lesser wing-coverts and margin of wing deep tawny-ochraceous, the former with concealed base of feathers dusky; middle coverts black, broadly and sharply tipped with tawny-ochraceous; greater coverts bistre brown, passing into black subterminally, their tips sharply and rather broadly tawny- ochraceous; remiges russet-brown or vandyke brown, the edges of outermost primaries lighter (more russet); sides of head and neck and general color of under parts, including under wing-coverts, plain bright cinnamon-rufous or rufous-tawny, somewhat paler on abdomen and passing into olive-tawny on flanks and under tail-coverts; "naked skin of head pale blue (azure back of eye) ; bill, tarsi, feet, and claws plumbeous; iris dark red;"[11] length (skins), 151-163 (156); wing, 71-79 (75.9); tail, 59-60.5 (59.4); culmen, 19.5-21.5 (21.1); tarsus, 28.5-30.5 (29.6); middle toe, 19-19.5 (19.1).[12]

Young male. — Similar to the adult female, but pileum and hindneck duller and less rufescent brown, middle and greater wing-coverts without ochraceous or tawny tips, and the tawny-ochraceous which ​covers solidly the exposed surface of lesser wing-covert area paler. (Older specimens showing admixture of black, according to age.)

Immature female. — Similar to the Immature male.

Northwestern Panamá (Mina de Chorcha, Chiriquí) ; eastern Costa Rica(Tucurríqui; Jiménez; "San José;" El Hogár; Cuábre; Guápiles; Rio Sícsola; La Cristina; Talamanca), through Nicaragua (Matagalpa; Rio Escondido; San Emilis, Lake Nicaragua) and Honduras (Omoa; Santa Ana) to Guatemala (Los Amates, Yzabál).

Gymnocichla nudiceps (not Myiothera nudiceps Cassin) Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1859, 55 (Omoa, Honduras; habits). — Sclater and Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1859, 119 (Omoa). — Lawrence, Ann. Lyc. N. Y., ix, 1868, 109 (Tucurríqui, Costa Rica). — Frantzius, Journ. für Orn., 1869, 305 (Costa Rica).
Gymnocichla chiroleuca Sclater and Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1869, 417 (Tucurríqui, Costa Rica; coll. Salvin and Godman). — Sclater, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XV, 1890, 272 (Tucurríqui, Costa Rica; Honduras). — Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xiv, 1891, 469 (Santa Ana, Honduras; descr. female and young male). — Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 224. — Richmond, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvi, 1893, 501 (Rio Escondido, Nicaragua; habits, notes, etc.). — Dearborn, Pub. 125, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., 1907, 109 (Los Amates, Guatemala).
G[ymnocichla] chiroleuca Salvin, Ibis, 1869, 314, 318.
[Gynmocichla] chiroleuca Sclater and Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 73. — Sharpe, Hand-list, iii, 1901, 32.
Gymnocichla cheiroleuca Carriker, Ann. Carnegie Mus., vi, 1910, 621 (Caribbean lowlands to about 1,000 ft., Costa Rica; habits).
Myrmelastes laurencii Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, sig. 29, March, 1892, 226 (Mina de Chorcha, Chiriquí, Panamá; coll. Salvin and Godman).
Myrmelastes lawrencei Richmond, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvi, 1893, 502 (Rio Escondido, Nicaragua).
[Myrmelastes] lawrencei Sharpe, Hand-list, iii, 1901, 32.

  1. ↑ Gymnocichla nudiceps sancta-martæ Ridgway, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., xxi, Oct. 20, 1908, 194 (Santa Marta, Colombia; coll. U. S. Nat. Mus.).
  2. ↑ The different forms distinguished by same characters as those given for adult males (c to cc).
  3. ↑ The adult female of G. nudiceps sancta-martæ not seen by me.
  4. ↑ Eight specimens.
  5. ↑ Six specimens.
    Locality. Wing. Tail. Culmen. Tarsus. Middle
    toe.
    males.
    Eight adult males from eastern Panamá 76.1 57.1 20.5 29.6 18.9
    Two adult males (G. n. erralilis?) from western Panamá (Divala) 77.7 60.5 21.2 28.7 19
    Ten adult males (G. n. erralilis) from southwestern Costa Rica 78.9 61.7 20.9 30 19.4
    One adult male (G. n. sanctæ-martæ) from southwestern Columbia 81 60.5 21.5 30 18.5
    females.
    Six adult females from eastern Panamá 73.6 55.4 19.7 29.2 18.8
    Ten adult females (G. n. erralilis) from southwestern Costa Rica 75.1 59.3 19.9 29.4 18.9
    One adult female (G. n. sanctæ-martæ) from southwestern Columbia 74 58 18.5 30.5 19.5
  6. ↑ The difference in coloration of females is by no means constant, but the average difference is very obvious.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ten specimens.
  8. ↑ Having only adult males from that locality, I am not able to determine whether specimens of this species from Divala belong to the present form or true G. nudiceps. No specimens from, other localities in Chiriqui have been seen by me.
  9. ↑ C. W. Richmond.
  10. ↑ Ten specimens.
  11. ↑ C. W. Richmond, manuscript.
  12. ↑ Six specimens.
    Locality. Wing. Tail. Culmen. Tarsus. Middle
    toe.
    males.
    Six adult males from Costa Rica 76.2 61.1 21.8 31.6 19.8
    Three adult males from Nicaragua 78.8 60.8 21.7 30.8 19.3
    One adult male from Guatemala 76.5 60 21.5 29 18.5
    females.
    Three adult females from Costa Rica 75.7 59.5 20.8 30 19.2
    One adult female from Nicaragua 76 59 21.5 30.5 19
    One adult female from Honduras 76.5 59 21 28.5 19
    One adult female from Guatemala 76 60 21.5 29 19
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