Proposal (662) to South American Classification Committee

Establish an English name for Scytalopus gonzagai

Effect on SACC: This proposal would establish an English name for recently described Scytalopus gonzagai.

Background: SACC accepted Proposal 643 to recognize S. gonzagai as a species but not the proposed English name “Bahian Mouse-colored Tapaculo” as the English name, but this would require a novel modifier for long-established “Mouse-colored Tapaculo” (S. speluncae). Shortening to “Bahian Tapaculo” is not possible because Eleoscytalopus psychopompus has long been known as “Bahia Tapaculo.”

Kevin Zimmer proposed “Lontras-Javi Tapaculo” to highlight the region of occurrence (Serra las Lontras-Javi montane complex). David Donsker and Frank Gill also suggested by email to Remsen the possibilities “Lontras Tapaculo” and “Boa Nova Tapaculo”. The authors of the original paper strongly favor Boa Nova Tapaculo because the municipality of Boa Nova is the first place where the new species was found, collected, and recorded, and all additional known localities are within about 120 km of Boa Nova. Thus, Boa Nova represents well all other known sites for S. gonzagai, and it also highlights Boa Nova National Park, created in 2010.

Van Remsen, Giovanni Maurício, Bret Whitney, and Fernando Pacheco December 2014

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Comments from Zimmer: “I had thought of "Boa Nova Tapaculo" as an English name for S. gonzagai also (along with Lontras-Javi Tapaculo), but proposed the latter given that the center of abundance seemed to be in the Lontras-Javi massif.  However, given that Boa Nova is the locality where Gonzaga first became aware of the bird, and given the proximity of Boa Nova to other sites, I would consider the name of "Boa Nova Tapaculo" as entirely appropriate (and less awkward than Lontras-Javi), especially since that is the name proposed by the authors of the paper.  After all, Brasilia Tapaculo is found in places other than Brasilia...  So "YES" from me on making "Boa Nova Tapaculo" the English name for Scytalopus gonzagai.”

Comments from Jaramillo: “YES on Boa Nova Tapaculo -- has a great ring to it, almost musical.”

Comments from Stotz: “YES for Boa Nova. This is a locality that is well-known for a variety of birds and so I think makes a better English name than Lontras.”