Species names in all available languages
Language | Common name |
---|---|
Catalan | colí cuallarg |
Czech | křepel dlouhoocasý |
Dutch | Mexicaanse Bospatrijs |
English | Long-tailed Wood-Partridge |
English (United States) | Long-tailed Wood-Partridge |
French | Colin à longue queue |
French (France) | Colin à longue queue |
German | Langschwanzwachtel |
Japanese | オナガウズラ |
Norwegian | svartstrupeskogvaktel |
Polish | przepiór czarnogardły |
Russian | Длиннохвостый лесной перепел |
Serbian | Dugorepa šumska jarebica |
Slovak | prepelka dlhochvostá |
Spanish | Colín Rabudo |
Spanish (Mexico) | Codorniz Coluda Transvolcánica |
Spanish (Spain) | Colín rabudo |
Swedish | långstjärtad skogsvaktel |
Turkish | Kara Yüzlü Ağaçbıldırcını |
Ukrainian | Перепелиця чорногорла |
Long-tailed Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx macroura
Version: 1.0 — Published August 13, 2010
Systematics
Geographic Variation
Six subspecies are recognized (Ridgway and Friedmann 1946, Binford 1989, Clements 2007), although the distributional limits are yet to be defined. The distribution of each subspecies, according to Ridgway and Friedmann (1946), Friedmann et al. (1950) and Binford (1989), is as follows:
D. m. macroura (Jardine and Selby 1828). Eastern Long-tailed Wood-Partridge. Resident in the mountains above the Valley of Mexico, and highlands of Veracruz. This and the next are the largest subspecies.
D. m. griseipectus Nelson 1897. Grey-breasted Wood-Partridge. Montane forests on the Pacific slope in the states of Mexico, Morelos and the Distrito Federal. Similar to nominate macroura, but the hazel shaft streaks of the feathers of the breast are shorter (limited to the basal two-thirds of the feather), and so are less apparent; back and rump slightly more olivaceous.
D. m. diversus Friedmann 1943. Jalisco Wood-Partridge. Montane forests of northwestern Jalisco. Similar to griseipectus, but the lower back, rump and uppertail coverts are more olive-brown with little or no black barring; the undertail coverts are more brownish (less blackish), and show less contrast with the whitish tips.
D. m. striatus Nelson 1897. Guerrero and Michoacán Wood-Partridge. West-central Mexico, in the montane forests of southern Jalisco, Michoacán, Guerrero. Similar to nominate macroura, but the feathers of the crest are more extensively black; the back and rump are more olive-brown (less gray-brown); and the hazel shaft stripes of feathers of the sides are longer, more pronounced, and this pattern extends onto the feathers of the flanks. Ridgway and Friedmann (1946) describe this as "the most variable of all the forms [subspecies] of the species", although they also point out that this is the subspecies for which there is the greatest number of specimens available. Although they do not say so explicitly, their comment may imply that some other subspecies, which are based on very small series of specimens, may prove not to be valid when more material is available for study.
D. m. oaxacae Nelson 1897. Oaxaca Wood-Partridge. Southern Mexico, in mountain forests of central and eastern Oaxaca, from Cerro San Felipe east to Sierra de Zempoaltepec. Similar to nominate macroura, but the pale stripes on the sides of the face are heavily suffused with brownish, and so are much less conspicuous; and the back, rump, and uppertail coverts are less barred with blackish (and so are similar to the condition on diversus).
D. m. inesperatus Phillips 1966. Miahuatlán Long-tailed Wood-Partridge. Endemic to the Sierra de Miahuatlán, Oaxaca (Binford 1989). The type was collected in "Río San Marcial below San Miguel Suchixtepec, municipio de Miahuatlán, Oaxaca" (Phillips 1966: 92). Note that Johnsgard (1973) incorrectly gives the distribution as "resident in the mountains near Chilpancingo, Guerrero", an error subsequently repeated in other sources (Johnsgard 1988, Carroll 2004, Clements 2007). Actually, Phillips (1966: 91) was making a comparison when he described this subspecies as "nearest to D. m. striatus Nelson, 1987: mountains near Chilpancingo, Guerrero; but with the distinctly white superciliary and malar stripes, and the clear grey (near Pale Neutral Grey) sides of the feathers of the check and upper back, in stronger contrast to the dark (Bay) colour of the median part of the feather of the chest, back, nape, and broad stripes on the sides and broad tips of the crest feathers; Bay area of centres of tertials reduced in size; rump and upper tail-coverts apparently sootier brown, less pale greyish.".
Information about these subspecies remains almost the same as in the original descriptions, most of them more than 100 years old. Further research is needed to elucidate if real differences exist beyond coloration of plumage among them. Modern phylogeographic and bioacustic methods can be used, along with more field collection.
Subspecies
Related Species
The New World quails were considered a subfamily of the Phasianidae until recently. However, DNA-DNA hybridization evidence suggests that they are not closely related to turkeys, pheasants, and Old World quails or grouse, indicating that divergence occurred about 63 million years ago in South America during its isolation from North America (Carroll 1994). Thus, New World quails have been raised from the level of subfamily to family, Odontophoridae (AOU 1998).
Based on osteological analysis, Gutiérrez et al. (1983: 39) proposed the Odontophoridae be regarded as a monophyletic group divided in two groups: the Odontophorus group (includng Odontophorus, Dactylortyx, Cyrtonyx, and Rhynchortyx) and the Dendortyx group (containing Dendrortyx, Philortyx, Oreortyx, Colinus, Callipepla, and Lophortyx). Southern Mexico and Guatemala are considered the center of radiation of this family because the presence of most generalized species and the region with the highest number of genera.
The genus Dendrortyx, with its three species, seems to be the most anatomically generalized of all New World quails. The closest relative of this genus probably is Odontophorus, as implied by ecological and natal plumage similarities (Johnsgard 1973). Within the genus Dendrortyx, there is no clear evidence of relationship; all three species seem to be quite distinct from one another and the available evidence provides no overt clues as to their phylogenetic history (Johnsgard 1988).