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
]
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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."