- Mountain-gem
Taxobox
name = Mountain-gem
image_width = 250px
image_caption = FemaleGray-tailed Mountain-gem
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Apodiformes
familia =Trochilidae
genus = "Lampornis"
genus_authority = Swainson, 1827
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "L. clemenciae"
"L. amethystinus"
"L. viridipallens"
"L. sybillae"
"L. calolaema"
"L. castaneoventris"
(see article text for discussion)The mountain-gems are the "Lampornis"
genus ofhummingbird s which inhabit mountainous regions from the southwesternUnited States to theIsthmus of Panama .These are medium-sized to large (10-13 cm) hummingbirds with shortish slightly curved black bills. The males typically have green upperparts and a brightly coloured throat, which is a dull colour in the female. The females of some species also may differ significantly from the males in other plumage features.
The female mountain-gem is entirely responsible for nest building and incubation. She lays two white eggs in a deep plant-fibre cup nest. Incubation takes 15-19 days, and fledging another 20-26.
The food of this genus is nectar, taken from a variety of small flowers. Like other hummingbirds, mountain-gems also takes small insects as an essential source of protein.
ystematics
6-8 species have been traditionally recognized, the main point of dispute being whether the southern forms, of the mountain range from
Nicaragua overCosta Rica toPanama , are one ("Variable Mountain-gem"), two or three species. Analysis ofbiogeography and mitochondrial andnuclear DNA sequences by García-Moreno "et al." (2006) have largely confirmed the arrangement and the suspectedevolution ary relationships, but a few surprising results have emerged:First, the
White-throated Mountain-gem and theGray-tailed Mountain-gem are probably conspecific, but thePurple-throated Mountain-gem seems to be a distinct species. However, the southern group has apparently evolved in a very short time and their conspicuous differences in appearance are not yet reflected in molecular divergence; as mates are of course chosen according to their appearance and not their molecular differences, it seems prudent to split the group according to throat color as advocated by theAmerican Ornithologists' Union . However, thespeciation process is ongoing.Second, the exact relationship between the suspected
sister taxa "L. clemenciae" and "L. amethystinus", the northernmost species, is not as straightforward as assumed; it is not clear whether they are each other's close relatives or whether theBlue-throated Hummingbird is the oldest lineage of the genus, theAmethyst-throated Hummingbird diverging later. In addition, "L. amethystinus" may constitute two species, but not the violet-throated subspecies "margaritae" but the southernmost, red-throated forms are the most distinct ones.Most puzzling, however, is the fact that the
White-bellied Mountain-gem constantly failed to form amonophyletic group with the other taxa. These results suggest that it is better placed in themonotypic genus "Oreopyra", the relationships of which need more study. It might be closely related to theFiery-throated Hummingbird , but these two species are very different at least morphologically. TheGarnet-throated Hummingbird , which is sometimes considered to be the closest relative of the mountain-gems, is indeed not distantly related to the group, but closer to theMagnificent Hummingbird . It is intermediate in appearance between "Lampornis" and that species.García-Moreno's team refrains to date the emergence of the genus because of the absence of fossils or other robust evidence. It can be assumed though that "Lampornis" was present at the closing of the Isthmus of Panama, about 3.8 MYA, and that by that time, the northernmost lineage(s) had already diverged.
These results are interesting, because they agree with a general trend for southern Mexican taxa (including to colonize the Isthmus and there form distinct species. Also, the Isthmus group of "Lampornis" provides a glimpse at an intermediate stage in evolution, with one form ("L. calolaema") having recently evolved into a distinct species, while its white-throated relatives are in the process of splitting into two species but have not yet done so. mtDNA (which is inherited from the mother only) suggests that the
Purple-throated Mountain-gem still can form fertile hybrids with the white-throated forms and indeed not infrequently does so.According to the updated taxonomy, the species are:
*Blue-throated Hummingbird , "Lampornis clemenciae"
*Amethyst-throated Hummingbird , "Lampornis amethystinus"
**Red-throated Hummingbird, "Lampornis (amethystinus) salvini"
*Green-throated Mountain-gem , "Lampornis viridipallens"
*Green-breasted Mountain-gem , "Lampornis sybillae"
*Purple-throated Mountain-gem , "Lampornis calolaema"
*White-throated Mountain-gem , "Lampornis castaneoventris"
**Gray-tailed Mountain-gem , "Lampornis castaneoventris cinereicauda"*
White-bellied Mountain-gem , "Oreopyra hemileucus" (formerly "Lampornis")References
* García-Moreno, Jaime; Cortés, Nandadeví; García-Deras, Gabriela M. & Hernández-Baños, Blanca E. (2006): Local origin and diversification among Lampornis hummingbirds: A Mesoamerican taxon. "Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution" 38(2): 488–498. DOI|10.1016/j.ympev.2005.08.015 (HTML abstract)
* Stiles, F. Gary & Skutch, Alexander F. (1990): "A guide to the birds of Costa Rica". Cornell University Press. ISBN 0-8014-9600-4
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