Heliangelus regalis johnsoni, Graves, Gary R., Lane, Daniel F., O’Neill, John P. & Valqui, Thomas, 2011

Graves, Gary R., Lane, Daniel F., O’Neill, John P. & Valqui, Thomas, 2011, A distinctive new subspecies of the Royal Sunangel (Aves: Trochiliformes; Heliangelus regalis) from the Cordillera Azul, northern Peru, Zootaxa 3002, pp. 52-58 : 53-57

Heliangelus regalis johnsoni new subspecies

Holotype. Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos ( MUSM), No. 22613. Adult male from about 86 km SE of Juanjuí (7o 34’S; 75 o55’ W; ca 1400 m above sea level) on the east bank of the Río Pauya, Department of Loreto, Peru. Collected and prepared by Manuel Sánchez S. (field number 3647) on 22 July 2000.

Diagnosis. Males of johnsoni differ from those of nominate regalis in exhibiting intense indigo iridescence, particularly on the crown, throat, and upper breast. These parts are bluish-black to violet-black with only slight iridescence in nominate regalis . Rectrices of both sexes of johnsoni are metallic indigo rather than metallic violetpurple as in nominate regalis .

Description of holotype. Body plumage is bluish-black, displaying strong indigo iridescence on the crown, throat, and upper breast, especially when viewed head-on ( Fig. 2 ). Rectrices are metallic indigo on ventral and dorsal surfaces, bluer distally. Inner vanes of rectrices are flushed with violet-purple. Primaries and outer secondaries are brownish-black showing faint violet iridescence. Inner secondaries exhibit violet-purple iridescence. Scattered feathers on carpal edge of wing are tipped with rufous. Downy feathers on lower flanks and around vent are tipped white. Bill and feet are black.

Measurements (mm) of holotype. See Table 1. Weight: 3.7 g. Testes: 3 x 4 mm. Maxillary ramphotheca smooth.

Paratypes. (a) LSUMZ 170735, subadult male. PERU: Department of Loreto; ca 85 km SE of Juanjuí on E bank upper Río Pauya, 7°34’ S, 75°54’ W, ca 1700 m. Collected and prepared by Daniel F. Lane (field number 1291) on 27 June 2000. Iridescence of breast, flanks, and belly plumage is a slightly deeper shade of indigo than in the holotype. Feathers of the back, scapulars, and upper rump are narrowly edged with green. Weight 3.4 g.

FIGURE 3. Distribution of the Royal Sunangel ( Heliangelus regalis ) in the Andes Mountains of Peru and Ecuador: H. regalis regalis (yellow circles); H. regalis johnsoni (green circle); published sight records, subspecies unknown (blue circles). Symbols may cover two or more closely spaced localities: (1) Yankuam Lodge, Prov. Zamora-Chinchipe (4o 15' S; 78o 37' W) ( Freile, et al., 2011; Krabbe & Ahlman, 2009); (2) San Jose de Lourdes, Dpt. Cajamarca (5o 02' S; 78o 51' W) ( Fitzpatrick, et al., 1979); (3) Duran, Dpt. Amazonas (5o 16' S; 78o 20' W) ( Dauphiné, et al., 2008); (4) San Cristobal, Dpt. Amazonas (5o 50' S; 78o 13' W) ( Seddon, et al., 1996); (5) Garcia, Dpt. San Martín (5o40’S; 77o46’W) ( Hornbuckle, 1999); (6) NE Jirillo, Dpt. San Martín (6o 03' S; 76o 44' W) ( Davis, 1986); (7) Sianbal, Dpt. San Martín (6o 43' S; 76o 06' W) ( Merkord, et al., 2009); (8) Pauya, Dpt. Loreto (7o 34' S; 75o 54' W) ( Schulenberg, et al., 2001).

(b) LSUMZ 170736, adult male. PERU: Department of Loreto; ca 80 km SE of Juanjuí on E bank upper Río Pauya, 7°34’ S, 75°54’ W, ca 1600 m. Collected and prepared by Thomas Valqui (field number 65) on 27 June 2000. Nearly identical to the holotype but indigo iridescence on crown, throat and upper breast is slightly paler. Weight 3.6 g.

(c) LSUMZ 170737, adult female. PERU: Department of Loreto; ca 80 km SE of Juanjuí on E bank upper Río Pauya, 7°35’ S, 75°53’ W, ca 1700 m. Collected and prepared by J. W. Armacost (field number 109) on 13 July 2000. Weight 4.4 g. Females exhibit considerable individual variation, some of which may be related to age. Sample sizes were insufficient to characterize possible body plumage color differences between female H. r. regalis and H. r. johnsoni .

(d) LSUMZ 170738, adult female. PERU: Department of Loreto; ca 86 km SE of Juanjuí on E bank upper Río Pauya, 7°33’ S, 75°55’ W, ca 1400 m. Collected and prepared by Daniel F. Lane (field number 1386) on 19 July 2000. Weight 3.8 g.

(e) MUSM 22615, adult male. PERU: Department of Loreto; ca 80 km SE of Juanjuí on E bank upper Río Pauya, 7°34’ S, 75°54’ W, ca 1700 m. Collected by Abraham Urbay T. and prepared by Daniel F. Lane (field number 1350) on 11 July 2000. Nearly identical to holotype but indigo iridescence on crown, throat and upper breast is slightly paler. Weight 3.6 g.

(f) MUSM 22611, adult female. PERU: Department of Loreto; ca 80 km SE of Juanjuí on E bank upper Río Pauya, 7°34’ S, 75°55’ W, ca 1740 m. Collected and prepared by Thomas Valqui (field number 76) on 30 June 2000. Weight 3.4 g.

Table 1. Selected measurements (lengths) of specimens of Heliangelus regalis regalis and Heliangelus r. johnsoni . Localities: (1) Peru: Department of Cajamarca; E side of ridge ENE above San José de Lourdes, 1950-2200 m; (2) Peru: Department of San Martín: ca 20 km by trail

Jirillo on trail towards Balsapuerto, 1450 m; (3) Peru: Department of Loreto; ca 80-86 km SE Juanjuí on E bank of upper Río Pauya, 1400– 1740 m. a Traces of subadult plumage. AMNH = American Museum of Natural History; LSUMZ = Louisiana State University Museum of Zoology

Other specimens examined. Heliangelus r. regalis : PERU: Department of Cajamarca; E side of ridge ENE above San José de Lourdes, 5o 02' S, 78o 51' W, 1950–2200 m ( AMNH 823987 [holotype], male; AMNH 823988, male; AMNH 823989, female; LSUMZ 81848, female; LSUMZ 81849, male; LSUMZ 81850, male; LSUMZ 81851, male; LSUMZ 81852, female; LSUMZ 81853, female; USNM 81847, male); Department of San Martín: ca 20 km by trail NE Jirillo on trail towards Balsapuerto, 6o 03' S, 76o 44' W, 1450 m ( LSUMZ 116681, male; LSUMZ 116682, male).

Etymology. We take pleasure in naming this beautiful new taxon for the late Ned K. Johnson (University of California, Berkeley) in recognition of his many contributions to avian systematics and biogeography.

Distribution. Recent fieldwork in southern Ecuador ( Krabbe & Ahlman, 2009; Freile, et al., 2011) and Peru ( Schulenberg, et al., 2001; Dauphiné, et al., 2008; Merkord, et al., 2009) brings to eight the number of known populations of Heliangelus regalis (Fig. 3). Five of the eight localities are represented only by sight records or photographs. So far as is known, Heliangelus r. johnsoni is restricted to the Cordillera Azul; however, the geographic range of this well-differentiated subspecies likely extends north and well south of the type locality. H. regalis has a relatively wide altitudinal range (1250–2200 m) compared to other species of hummingbirds with restricted geographic ranges in the Peruvian Andes (Graves, 1985). Reports at lower altitudes (550–700 m) in the Cordillara Colán ( Dauphiné, et al., 2008) are well outside the documented altitudinal range of Heliangelus regalis and should be regarded as questionable until specimens or diagnostic photographs are obtained. The species reaches its greatest abundance in habitat variously described as brushy slopes bordered by cloud forest ( Fitzpatrick, et al., 1979), elfin scrub ( Seddon, et al., 1996), stunted forest ( Hornbuckle, 1999; Schulenberg, et al., 2001), stunted shrubland ( Freile, et al., 2011), and mossy stunted forest ( Davis, 1986).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Reflectance spectra from crown feathers of the holotype (top) of Heliangelus r. johnsoni (MUSM 22613) and a representative specimen (bottom) of Heliangelus r. regalis (LSUMZ 81851). Reflectance extends into the ultraviolet (300 – 400 nm) in both specimens. The holotype of Heliangelus regalis johnsoni exhibits a sharp reflectance peak at 464 nm. Crown feathers of all male H. r. regalis are only dimly reflective and the reflectance spectra are relatively flat (peak at ~ 486 nm).