Proposal (89) to South American Classification Committee

Lump Eupetomena into Campylopterus

The monotypic genus Eupetomena was merged by Schuchmann (HBW vol. 5, 1999) into Campylopterus mainly on basis of swollen outer primary shaft and undisclosed "behavioral and vocal evidence". Genetic data of McGuire and Altshuler (published yet? was submitted months ago) definitely suggest that at least Eupetomena does not belong in Campylopterus, suggesting caution on lumping Clytolaema as well (which is placed a long way from Campylopterus in traditional linear sequences, including our own). Convergence in such a sexually selected character is not entirely unprecedented - none of these genera has the shaft as thickened as do "true" Campylopterus - the case is analogous to that of the long tails of Aglaiocercus and Lesbia, or the racket tips of Ocreatus and Discosura.

Therefore, I recommend a NO vote on this proposal until more evidence is presented for lumping them.

Gary Stiles, December 2003

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Comments from Remsen: I vote NO on this one because the track record of such mergers of genera has not been good and certainly requires formal, published analysis.

Comments from Zimmer: "NO. This taxon is sufficiently different from everything else in so many respects, that I would need to see a published, detailed analysis arguing otherwise before I could be persuaded that this is the best course."

Comments from Robbins: "[NO] I believe Gary makes convincing arguments for waiting for additional data (in particular, molecular) before lumping Eupetomena into Campylopterus. Hence, I vote "no".

Comments from Stotz: "NO. [One comment, the proposal mentions Clytolaema with respect to Campylopterus. I guess I thought that it was thought that Clytolaema might belong with Heliodoxa.]"

Comments from Jaramillo: "NO. Seems an odd suggestion to lump these two genera to me."

Comments from Nores: "No, los criterios usados en el HBW no son par mi suficientes como para unir los géneros, más si se tiene en cuenta que la evidencia genética muestra lo contrario."