By some, the name Yasuní Antwren is preferred over the name Brown-backed Antwren, as proposed by the authors. The reason is that there exist several antwrens with brown backs. Yasuní National Park near the Río Napo, Ecuador is where the type specimen was obtained.
Yasuní / Brown-backed Antwren Myrmotherula fjeldsaai
e Ecuador; adjacent Peru. Lower tropical zone
insert after: Myrmotherula leucophthalma
Niels Krabbe, Morton L. Isler, Phyllis R. Isler, Bret M. Whitney, Jose Alvarez & Paul J. Greenfield,
A new species in the Myrmotherula haematonota superspecies (Aves: Tamnophilidae) from the western Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador and Peru
Wilson Bulletin 111, 2 (1999): 157-165
Caatinga Antwren, taken from the cover of The
Auk 117, 4 (2000). Cover plate, watercolor painting,
© Daniel F. Lane.
This species is an inhabitant of the caatinga, especially mid-humid patches of
semideciduous woodland and scrub. It forages predominantly in the middle and upper
tree levels, especially where papilionaceous shrubs are present.
Individuals of Caatinga Antwren have been known for a long time, but differences were not recognized so they belonged to H. pileatus, the Bahia Antwren.
(That species is now considered to be a coastal Bahia endemic. It has atricapillus
as closest relative species.)
Sellowi has a shorter and narrower bill, pale loral area, short postocular
streak, and undertail coverts variably buffy. The female lacks distinct white marks
in the crown, but may have buffy feather tips there.
Another distinction can be found in the (loud)song: a 2.3 seconds series of notes like
that of pileatus, but with twice as many notes, at an even, double pace and
slightly higher in pitch.
Caatinga Antwren, song, © Juan Mazar
Barnett. Recorded July 18, 1998, Boa Nova, Bahia, Brazil.
Caatinga Antwren Herpsilochmus sellowi
ne Brazil: s Rio Grande do Norte, s Ceará and c Maranhão s through interior Bahia to nw Minas Gerais; isolated population in Serra do Cachimbo, Pará
insert after: Herpsilochmus pileatus
Bret M. Whitney, José Fernando Pacheco, Dante R. C. Buzzetti & Ricardo Parrini,
Systematic revision and biogeography of the Herpsilochmus pileatus complex, with description of a new species from northeastern Brazil
The Auk 117, 4 (2000): 869-891
For comparison we include two short song phrases of similar antwrens:
Black-capped Antwren, song, © Rolf de By. Recorded December 26, 1998, Parque Nacional da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Bahia Antwren, song,
© Juan Mazar Barnett. Recorded July 23, 1998, Una Biological Reserve, Bahia, Brazil.
The Ancient Antwren was discovered through its calls. It occurs in tropical lowland evergreen forest, and was first found in the province of Loreto, Peru. One record stems from se Venezuela. Its occurrence seems primarily determined by soil type, and its habitat is naturally rare. Within it, however, it is a fairly common species.
There
are several reasons (voice, morphology) to assume its closest living relative is Todd's
Antwren, H. stictocephalus, which occurs in e Venezuela and the Guianas.
Ancient Antwren, taken with permission from
the cover of The Auk 115, 3 (1998). Cover plate, acrylic painting,
© John P. O´Neill.
Ancient Antwren Herpsilochmus gentryi
n Peru: esp. n Loreto; se Ecuador: se Pastaza province
insert after: Herpsilochmus stictocephalus
Bret M. Whitney & José Alvarez Alonso,
A new Herpsilochmus Antwren (Aves: Thamnophilidae) from northern Amazonian Peru and adjacent Ecuador: The role of edaphic heterogeneity of terra firme forest
The Auk 115, 3 (1998): 559-576
Paraná Antwren Stymphalornis acutirostris
s Brazil: Paraná state
insert after: Formicivora rufa
Marcos R. Bornschein, Bianca L. Reinert & D. M. Teixera,
Um nova Formicariidae do sul do Brasil (Aves, Passeriformes)
Publicação Técnico-Científica do Instituto Iguaçu, No. 1, 18 pp.
Parker's Antbird Cercomacra parkeri
Colombia: c and e Andes above 1000 m
insert after: Cercomacra tyrannina
Gary R. Graves,
Colorimetric and morphometric gradients in Colombian populations of Dusky Antbirds (Cercomacra tyrannina), with a description of a new species, Cercomacra parkeri
Ornithological Monographs No. 48, Studies in Neotropical Ornithology honoring Ted Parker, 1997, p. 111-128
Allpahuayo Antbird Percnostola arenarum
ne Peru: dept. Loreto, near Iquitos
insert after: Sclateria naevia
Morton L. Isler, José Alvarez Alonso, Phyllis R. Isler, Thomas Valqui, A. Begazo & Brett M. Whitney,
A new species of Pernostola antbird (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) from Amazonian Peru, and an analysis of species limits within Percnostola rufifrons
Wilson Bulletin 113, 2 (2001): 164-176