Birds of North and Middle America, part V/Genus 25. Grallaria Vieillot

by Robert Ridgway

 

Genus GRALLARIA Vieillot.

Grallaria Vieillot, Analyse, 1816, 43. (Type, Roi des Fourmilliers Buffon = Formicarius varius Boddaert.)

Myioturdus Boie, Isis, 1826, 972. (Type, Formicarius varius Boddaert.)

Myiotrichas Boie, Isis, 1831, 542. (Type, Formicarius varius Boddaert.)

Colobathris^[1] Gloger, Hand- und Hilfsb. der Natürg., 1842, 304. (New name for "Grallina" = Grallaria Vieillot.)

Chamæbates^[2] Bertoni, Aves Nuevas del Paraguay, 1901, 150. (Type, C. rufiventris Bertoni = Myiothera grallaria Lichtenstein.)

Very large terrestrial Formicariidæ (length about 160-210 mm.) with the slender tarsus less than half as long as wing, tail less than half (usually only two-fifths) as long as wing, and plumage of upper parts more or less distinctly squamated with dusky.

Bill shorter than head, stout, much deeper than broad at base, its width at loral antiæ decidedly less than its height at same point and equal to a little to considerably less than half the distance from nostril to tip of maxilla; culmen very indistinctly if at all ridged, gradually but rather strongly curved from base, the tip of maxilla distinctly but not abruptly uncinate; maxillary tomium very slightly concave, distinctly notched subterminally; mandibular tomium nearly straight or very faintly convex, with faint subterminal notch; gonys slightly to very faintly convex, very ascending terminally, not prominent basally. Nostril exposed, posteriorly in contact with loral feathering, obliquely broadly oval, with an internal tubercle or septum showing within upper posterior portion. Rictal bristles distinct but very slender; feathers of chin and upper throat with long, slender, terminal setæ. Wing moderate or rather large, with longest primaries projecting considerably beyond secondaries; sixth and seventh, or fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth primaries longest, the tenth (outermost) about two-thirds to three-fourths as long as the longest, the ninth decidedly to much longer than secondaries. Tail two-fifths to nearly half as long as wing, even, or very slightly rounded, the rectrices (12) rounded terminally. Tarsus less than half as long as wing, slender, the planta fused (non-scutellate) or with scutella indistinct, its inner edge scarcely if at all convolute, the acrotarsium with 12-14 scutella; middle toe, with claw, about two-thirds as long as tarsus, longer than whole culmen; outer toe, without claw, reaching to a little beyond subterminal articulation of middle toe, the inner toe slightly shorter; hallux shorter than inner toe, not conspicuously stouter; basal phalanx of middle toe united for more than half its length to outer toe, for less than half to inner toe; claws short to moderately long, not strongly curved, moderately compressed, not grooved laterally, that of the hallux shorter than the digit. Plumage very full, that of rump and flanks (especially the former) elongated and more lax; a small naked postocular space (except in G. squamigera^[3] and allies).

Coloration. — Above olive, the hindneck and part of pileum grayish, distinctly squamated with black (squamations indistinct in G. squamigera, which has the under parts conspicuously barred or lunulated with black); tail rufescent brown or russet (except in G. squamigera); under parts rufescent or tawny, sometimes more or less variegated, especially on throat, sometimes mixed olive and buffy with indistinct bars of darker.

Range. — Southern Mexico to Cayenne, southeastern Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. (about ten species, including subspecies.)

KEY TO THE SUBSPECIES OF GRALLARIA GUATIMALENSIS.

a. Coloration darker, the general color of under parts ochraceous to tawny; black squamations of upper parts much heavier; gray of hindneck and pileum much clearer (more bluish) much more extended, the forehead much less extensively (sometimes not at all) brownish; size averaging considerably smaller (maximum average measurements: wing 113.3, tail 41.8, culmen, 27.2, tarsus 49.6, middle toe 25.3).

b. Darker; under parts tawny to chestnut- tawny; larger (averaging: wing 111.7 or more, tarsus 48.2 or more, middle toe 24.4 or more), except tail and bill.

c. Slightly paler, with black squamations of upper parts narrower; averaging slightly larger, except bill and middle toe (wing averaging 113.3, tail 41.5, culmen 25.8, tarsus 49.6, middle toe 24.4). (Chiapas to northern Nicaragua.)

Grallaria guatimalensis guatimalensis (p. 148).

cc. Slightly darker, with black squamations of upper parts heavier; averaging slightly smaller, except bill and middle toe (wing averaging 111.7, tail 41, culmen 27.2, tarsus 48.2, middle toe 25.3). (Costa Rica and western Panamá.)

Grallaria guatimalensis princeps (p. 149).

bb. Paler; under parts ochraceous, deepening into brownish tawny on chest; smaller, except tail and bill (averaging: wing 109.5, tarsus 40.4, middle toe 20.8). (Southeastern Mexico.)

Grallaria guatimalensis mexicana (p. 150).

aa. Coloration paler, the general color of under parts dull buff to clay color; black squamations of upper parts much narrower; gray of hindneck, etc., much duller, much more restricted, the whole forehead (sometimes crown. also) light olive-brownish; size averaging larger (average measurements: wing 116.5, tail 48.3, culmen 27.3, tarsus 51.8, middle toe 26.5). (Southwestern Mexico.)

Grallaria guatimalensis ochraceiventris (p. 151).

GRALLARIA GUATIMALENSIS GUATIMALENSIS Prévost and Des Murs.

GUATEMALAN ANTPITTA.

Adults (sexes alike?).^[4] — Pileum and hindneck slate color or slate- gray, the feathers margined with black, producing a squamate effect; back, scapulars, and rump olive, the feathers rather broadly margined with black; upper tail-coverts and tail russet-brown to chestnut; wings olive or olive-brown, the remiges more russet brown, lighter on primaries, the outer of which have their outer webs much paler (nearly wood brown) terminally; greater coverts edged with russet, sometimes (also occasionally the middle coverts) with more or less distinct terminal spots of tawny; lores dull whitish, "sometimes slightly intermixed with dusky or grayish; a narrow line of white on posterior half (more or less) of upper eyelid; the posterior portion of lower eyelid also whitish; suborbital and auricular regions dark olive with narrow but distinct shaft-streaks of whitish or pale tawny; malar region whitish, buffy or tawny; chin and upper throat olive-brown, suffused, more or less strongly, with tawny-ochraceous, sometimes mixed somewhat with dusky, the feathers with pale ochraceous or buffy shaft-streaks; lower throat tawny or tawny- ochraceous to ochraceous-white, usually immaculate but sometimes more or less broken by dusky spots or bars, usually bounded posteriorly by a more or less distinct narrow semicircular line of dusky or sooty blackish spots; rest of under parts plain bright tawny or tawny-ochraceous, slightly paler on abdomen, deeper on sides and flanks; under wing-coverts immaculate tawny-ochraceous, the inner webs of remiges broadly edged with a paler tint of same or ochraceous- buff; maxilla dusky horn color, paler toward culmen; mandible pale brownish (in dried skins); legs and feet horn brownish (in dried skins).

Young. — Pileum and hindneck dull slate color, with narrow mesial guttate streaks of buff; chest and breast similar but ground color rather lighter brownish slate and streaks broader; otherwise like adults, but middle and greater wing-coverts with distinct (though not sharply defined) terminal or subterminal spots of tawny, and with a very narrow terminal margin of black.

Adult male. — (No specimens with sex determined examined.) Adult female. — Length (skins), 163-175 (169); wing, 114-116.5 (115.3); tail, 42-44 (43); culmen, 25.5-26 (25.7); tarsus, 46-50.5 (48.3); middle toe, 24-25.5 (24.3).^[5]

Southern Mexico, in State of Chiapas (Tumbalá), Guatemala (forests of northern Vera Paz; Cobán; Choctúm; Calderas; Yaxcamnál; Savana Grande; Barranca Honda and Pajál Grande, Volcán de Fuego), Honduras (Santa Ana), and northern Nicaragua (Mata- galpa).

Grallaria guatimalensis Prévost and Des Murs, Zool. Voy. 'Venus,' Atlas, "1846" = 1842, pl. 4 (Guatemala). — Lafresnaye, Rev. Zool., 1842, 334. — {[sc|Sclater}}, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1858, 280 (monogr.).

Grallaria guatemalensis Prévost and Des Murs, Zool. Voy. 'Venus,' "1855" = 1849, 199. — Sclater and Salvin, Ibis, 1859, 119 (Cobán, Guatemala). — Salvin, Ibis, 1861, 354, in text (Vera Paz, Guatemala). — Sclater, Cat. Am. Birds, 1862, 191 (Guatemala); Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xv, 1890, 313 (Choctúm, Yaxcamnál, Savana Grande, Calderas, Volcán de Fuego, Barranca Honda, Volcán de Fuego, and Pajál Grande, Volcán de Fuego). — Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 240 (localities in Guatemala; Santa Ana, Honduras; Matagalpa, Nicaragua).

[Grallaria] guatemalensis Sclater and Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 75. — Sharpe, Hand-list, iii, 1901, 41 (Guatemala to Nicaragua).

(?) Grallaria guatemalensis ? Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xiv, 1891, 470 (Santa Ana, Honduras; descr. young).

[Chamaeza] guatimalensis {[sc|Bonaparte}}, Consp. Av., i, 1850, 204.

Grallaria princeps (not of Sclater and Salvin) {[sc|Boucard}}, Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, 1878, 39 (Guatemala).

GRALLARIA GUATIMALENSIS PRINCEPS (Sclater and Salvin).

COSTA RICAN ANTPITTA.

Similar to G. g. guatimalensis but smaller and more deeply colored, the black squamations of upper parts broader, the general color of under parts bright tawny to rufous-tawny.^[6]

Adult female. — Length (skins), 167-181 (172); wing, 106.5-113.5 (111.1); tail, 37.5-42.5 (40); culmen, 25-27.5 (26.7); tarsus, 46.5-50 (48.6); middle toe, 25-26 (25.4).^[7]

Costa Rica (La Estrella de Cartago; Faldas del Volcán de Barba; Volcan de Irazú; Turrialba; Juan Viñas; Carrillo; Escazú; Tenório) and western Panamá (Volcán de Chiriquí; Boquete; Santa Fé de Verágua; Calovévora).

Grallaria guatemalensis (not of Prévost) Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1867, 146 (Santa Fé de Verágua, Panamá; crit.) — Lawrence, Ann. Lyc. N. Y., ix., 1868, 89 (Verágua).

Grallaria princeps Sclater and Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1869, 418 (Calovévora, Verágua, Panamá; coll. Salvin and Godman). — Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1870, 196 (Volcán de Chiriquí and Calovévora). — Sclater, Ibis, 1877, 441 (Verágua; Chiriquí; monogr.); Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xv, 1890, 314 (Irazú district, Costa Rica; Calovévora, Santa Fé, and Volcán de Chiriquí, Panamá). — Zeledón, Anal. Mus. Nac. Costa Rica, i, 1887, 115 (Turrialba, Costa Rica). — Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 241, pl. 52. — Bangs, Proc. New Engl. Zool. Club, iii, 1902, 42 (Boquete and Volcán de Chiriquí, Panamá, 7,000-11,000 ft.).

[Grallaria] princeps Sclater and Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 75. — Sharpe, Hand-list, iii, 1901, 41.

Grallaria guatemalensis princeps Carriker, Ann. Carnegie Mus., vi, 1910, 627 (Costa Rica; crit.; habits).

GRALLARIA GUATIMALENSIS MEXICANA (Sclater).

MEXICAN ANTPITTA.

Similar to G. g. guatimalensis but slightly larger and paler in color, the back, etc., less brownish olive, the general color of under parts ochraceous instead of tawny-ochraceous or tawny; slate color of pileum and hindneck, however, rather darker.

Adult male. — Length (skins), 161-180 (170); wing, 104.5-111 (109.1); tail, 38-44.5 (42); culmen, 25.5-27 (26); tarsus, 43.5-49.5 (47.3); middle toe, 23-25 (24.3).^[8]

Adult female. — Length (skins), 160-175 (166); wing, 107-113 (110); tail, 40.5-43 (41.5); culmen, 26.5-27 (26.7); tarsus, 46.5-47.5 (47); middle toe, 24-24.5 (24.2).^[9]

Southeastern Mexico, in States of Vera Cruz (Córdova; Potrero, near Córdova; Uvero; San Andrés Tuxtla; Omealca; Jalapa; Moyoapám; Playa Vicente; Buena Vista; Motzorongo), and Tabasco (Teapa).

Grallaria guatimalensis (not of Prévost) Sclater Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1856, 294 (Córdova, Vera Cruz; crit.); 1858, 280, part (monogr.).

Grallaria guatemalensis Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud., 1859, 366 (Jalapa, Vera Cruz), 383 (Playa Vicente, Vera Cruz). — Sumichrast, La Naturaleza, v, 1881, 248 (Uvero, San Andrés Tuxtla, and Potrero, Vera Cruz).

Grallaria guatemalensis? Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H., i, 1869, 556 (Uvero near San Andres Tuxtla, Potrero, and Omealca, Vera Cruz).

[Myiotrichas] guatemalensis Heine and Reichenow, Nomencl. Mus. Hein. Orn., 1890, 123 (Mexico).

Grallaria mexicana Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1861,381 (Jalapa, Vera Cruz; coll. P. L. Sclater); 1864, 175 (near City of Mexico); Cat. Am. Birds, 1862, 191 (Jalapa); Ibis, 1877, 440 (tierra caliente of a. Mexico; monogr.; crit.); Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xv, 1890, 313, part (Jalapa). — Sumichrast, La Naturaleza, v, 1881, 248 (Omealca, Vera Cruz). — Salvin and Godman, Biol, Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 241, part (Moyoapám, Córdova, Omealca, Uvero, San Andrés Tuxtla, Potrero, Córdova, Playa Vicente, and Jalapa, Vera Cruz).

Grallaria ————— ? Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N H., i, 1869, 556 (Moyoapám, Vera Cruz, 2,500 m.; crit.).

[Grallaria] mexicana Sclater and Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 75. — Sharpe, Hand-list, iii, 1901, 41.

GRALLARIA GUATIMALENSIS OCHRACEIVENTRIS (Nelson).

NELSON'S ANTPITTA.

Most like G. g. mexicana but coloration decidedly paler and much duller, the blackish squamations of upper parts narrower and less distinct (especially on pileum and hindneck, where sometimes nearly obsolete), forehead more extensively olive, and general color of under parts dull tawny-ochraceous to dull buff or clay color.

Adult male. — Length (skins), 180-198 (189); wing, 111-119.5 (115.2); tail, 46-49.5 (47.7); culmen, 25.5-26.5 (26); tarsus, 48.5-51 (49.7); middle toe, 25.5-26 (25.7).^[10]

Adult female. — Length (skins), 178-199 (190); wing, 110.5-120 (115.7); tail, 45-52 (47.7); culmen, 27.5-29.5 (28.1); tarsus, 49-55 (52.1); middle toe, 25-28 (26.7).^[11]

Southwestern Mexico, in States of Jalisco (San Sebastián), Morelos (mountains) and Guerrero (Omilteme) ; Mexico (Valley of Mexico; Chimalpa; Ajusco)?

(?) Grallaria mexicana (not of Sclater, 1861?) Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1864, 175 (Valley of Mexico); 5at. Birds Brit. Mus., xv, 1890, 313, part (western Mexico). — Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 241, part (Valley of Mexico, Chimalpa, and Ajusco, Mexico).

Grallaria mexicana Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Am., Aves, ii, 1892, 241, part (Omilteme, Guerrero).

Grallaria ochraceiventris Nelson, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., xii. Mar. 24, 1898, 62 (San Sebastián, Jalisco; coll. U. S. Nat. Mus.).

[Grallaria] ochraceiventris Sharpe, Hand-list, iii, 1901, 41.

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1. See also Colobathris Cabinis, Wiegmann's Archiv, 1847, i, 216.
2. ?, on the ground; ?, one who treads or covers. (Bertoni.)
3. G. squamigera also differs in having the planta tarsi partly scutellate, the tail nearly half instead of only two-fifths as long as wing, with firmer rectrices, relatively longer outermost primary, and other minor characters,, and may not be congeneric.
4. While considerable variations in color-pattern are observable among specimens of all the forms of this species, in none of them do I find any differences that can be corellated with difference of sex — provided, of course, the latter has in all cases been correctly determined.
5. Two specimens. Five specimens with sex undetermined measure as follows: Wing, 104-120 (112.6); tail, 37-i4 (40.9); culmen, 24-28 (26); tarsus, 49-51.5 (50.1); middle toe, 24-25.5 (24.3).
6. Twelve specimens.
7. Four specimens, from Costa Rica.

   Locality.	Wing.	Tall.	Culmen.	Tarsus.	Middle toe.
   Seven adult males from Costa Rica	112	41.3	27.1	48.3	25.3
   Five adult males from western Panamá (Chiriquí)	111.8	41.3	27.6	47.6	25.1

8. Four specimens.
9. Three specimens.
10. Two specimens.
11. Four specimens.

    Locality.	Wing.	Tall.	Culmen.	Tarsus.	Middle toe.
    males.
    One adult male from Omilteme, Guerrero	119.5	49.5	26.5	51	26
    One adult male from San Sebastián, Jalisco	111	46	25.5	48.5	25.5
    females.
    Two adult females from Omilteme, Guerrero	117.5	48.7	28.3	53.2	27
    One adult female from mountains of Morelos	110.5	45	28	49	26