Abstract
Phlegopsis erythroptera (Formicariidae) follows army ants regularly for flushed arthropods between the Andes and the Negro/Madeira Rivers. Mainly a bird of terra firme forests, it is interspecifically aggressive. Low numbers at ant swarms are probably due to low productivity of arthropods flushed by ants on weathered terra firme soils, or to high species diversity of subordinate but active ant-following competitors in upper Amazonia. Sexual dimorphism of young and female erythroptera is attributed to low numbers over ants, so that dispersed individuals avoid attacks by bright-plumaged adult males rather than bluff them out at close range. Phlegopsis, Skutchia, Rhegmatorhina, and Gymnopithys are related to and perhaps congeneric with Pithys; all follow ants and seem a group derived from birds related to Hylophylax.
Phlegopsis erythroptera (Gould, 1855) and relatives (Aves, Formicariidae) as army ant followers
Edwin O. Willis
Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33124, U.S.A., and Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" - UNESP, Caixa Postal 178, 13.500 - Rio Claro, S. Paulo
ABSTRACT
Phlegopsis erythroptera (Formicariidae) follows army ants regularly for flushed arthropods between the Andes and the Negro/Madeira Rivers. Mainly a bird of terra firme forests, it is interspecifically aggressive. Low numbers at ant swarms are probably due to low productivity of arthropods flushed by ants on weathered terra firme soils, or to high species diversity of subordinate but active ant-following competitors in upper Amazonia. Sexual dimorphism of young and female erythroptera is attributed to low numbers over ants, so that dispersed individuals avoid attacks by bright-plumaged adult males rather than bluff them out at close range. Phlegopsis, Skutchia, Rhegmatorhina, and Gymnopithys are related to and perhaps congeneric with Pithys; all follow ants and seem a group derived from birds related to Hylophylax.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I appreciate grants from the National Science foundation and the American Museum of Natural History. Yoshika Oniki helped with the manuscript.
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- Willis, E. O., 1968a. Taxonomy and behavior of Pale-faced Antbirds. Auk 85: 253-264.
- Willis, E. O., 1968b. Studies of the behavior of Lunulated and Salvin's Antbirds. Condor 70: 128-148.
- Willis, E. O., 1969. On the behavior of five species of Rhegmatorhina, ant-following antbirds of the Amazon basin. Wilson Bull. 81: 363-395.
- Willis, E. O., 1976. Effects of a cold wave on an Amazonian avifauna in the upper Paraguay drainage, western Mato Grosso, with comments on oscine-suboscine relationships. Acta Amazônica 6: 379-394.
- Willis, E. O., 1979. Comportamento e ecologia da mãe-de-taoca, Phlegopsis nigromaculata (D'Orbigny & Lafresnaye) (Aves, Formicariidae). Revta bras. Biol. 39: 117-159.
- Willis, E. O., 1981. Diversity in adversity: the behaviors of two subordinate antbirds. Arq. Zool., S. Paulo 30: 1-77.
- Willis, E. O. & T. Oniki, 1978. Birds and army ants. Ann. Rev. Ecol. System. 9: 243-263.
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
31 Aug 2009 -
Date of issue
1983
