| Melanopareia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Collared crescentchest (Melanopareia torquata) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Melanopareiidae Ericsonet al 2010 |
| Genus: | Melanopareia Reichenbach, 1853 |
| Type species | |
| Synallaxis maximiliani[1] d'Orbigny, 1835 | |
| Species | |
5, see text | |
Thecrescentchests are agenus,Melanopareia, ofsuboscinepasserine birds fromSouth America. The genus has long been placed with the tapaculos in the familyRhinocryptidae. Their placement there has been questioned and in 2007 the genus was placed in its own family,Melanopareiidae, by the South American Classification Committee.[2] Subsequently, the family was accepted by theInternational Ornithological Congress Bird List and theClements Checklist.[3][4] The family Melanopareiidae was formally erected in 2009.[5]
The genusMelanopareia was introduced in 1853 by the German naturalistLudwig Reichenbach.[6] He listed two species in the genus but did not specify thetype; in 1855 the English zoologistGeorge Gray selectedSynallaxis maximilianiD'Orbigny, (olive-crowned crescentchest) as the type species.[7][8] The genus name combines theAncient Greek μελας/melas, μελανος/melanos meaning "black" with παρηιον/parēion meaning "cheek".[9]
The crescentchests range in length from 14 to 16 cm (5.5–6.3 in), in weight from 16 to 23 g (0.56–0.81 oz) and have relatively long tails compared to the tapaculos. Theplumage is striking with a distinctive band across the chest that gives the group their name.[10]
The crescentchests are birds of arid scrub. They generally forage on the ground, but their diet has not yet been recorded. Two species, the collared crescentchest and olive-crowned crescentchest, are widely distributed across central and southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina. The other two species, the elegant crescentchest andMarañón crescentchest, have a more restricted distribution in Peru and Ecuador.[10]
Little is known about the behaviour of the crescentchests. The only species about which anything is known about the breeding behaviour is the olive-crowned crescentchest. That species is a seasonal breeder. Thenest of that species is a 15 cm high cup made of vegetable fibres and palm fronds, hidden in grasses or low shrubs close to the ground. Theclutch size is two to three eggs, the eggs are white with blotches or black spots.[10]
No species of crescentchest is considered by theIUCN to bethreatened by human activities, but the Marañón crescentchest is listed as near threatened. Although the species is apparently tolerant of some disturbance it has a tiny global range and is uncommon even within that range.[10]
The genus contains the following four species:[11]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collared crescentchest
| Melanopareia torquata (Wied, 1831) Three subspecies
| northeastern Bolivia, central Brazil, and northern Paraguay. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Olive-crowned crescentchest
| Melanopareia maximiliani (D'Orbigny, 1835) Three subspecies
| Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Marañón crescentchest
| Melanopareia maranonica Chapman, 1924 | southern Ecuador and northern Peru. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Elegant crescentchest
| Melanopareia elegans (Lesson, 1844) Two subspecies
| Ecuador and Peru. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
Media related toMelanopareia at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toCrescentchest at Wikispecies
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