Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) [XC219393]
by Max Noack from Canyon del Sumidero, Chiapas, Mexico (song)
(Aulacorhynchus prasinus) [XC795791]
by Enrique Varela from Tapalapa, Tapalapa, Chiapas, Mexico (?)
Subspecies
Aulacorhynchus prasinus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) was split into Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus), Wagler's Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus wagleri), Blue-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus caeruleogularis), Violet-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus cognatus), Northern Andean Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus lautus), Greyish-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus albivitta) and Black-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus atrogularis) by Navarro et al. (2001), on the basis mainly of differences in bill pattern and throat colour, but this treatment is not followed by SACC (2005), or the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group as it is considered premature.
Related rather closely to Groove-billed Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus sulcatus) (especially subspecies calorhynchus), and also, less closely, to Chestnut-tipped Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus derbianus). Of the many subspecies, several are sometimes considered to represent separate species, especially wagleri, caeruleogularis, albivitta, phaeolaemus, cyanolaemus and atrogularis. However, these are all similar vocally, bill pattern varies relatively little, and all interbreed with each other or with other subspecies wherever they meet. Also, mosaic evolution evident among white-throated and blue-throated subspecies. Subspecies intergrade widely, notably virescens with nominate. Subspecies cognatus possibly inseparable from caeruleogularis. Of other subspecies proposed, chiapensis (south-eastern Mexico) and stenorhabdus (western Guatemala, northern El Salvador) considered synonymous with virescens, probably showing only clinal differences; maxillaris (Costa Rica, western Panama) with caeruleogularis; and petax (western Andes of Colombia) with phaeolaemus.
The following 14 subspecies are recognised:
wagleri (Gould, 1834) - South-western Mexico. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Wagler's Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus wagleri).
prasinus (Gould, 1834) - Eastern Mexico (south-eastern San Luis Potosí to northern Oaxaca) southern and east to Yucatán, Belize and northern Guatemala.
warneri Winker, 2000 - South-eastern Mexico (Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, in southern Veracruz).
volcanius Dickey & van Rossem, 1930 - Eastern El Salvador (San Miguel Volcano slopes).
virescens Ridgway, 1912 - South-eastern Mexico (Chiapas) to Honduras and Nicaragua.
caeruleogularis (Gould, 1854) - Costa Rica to north-western Colombia. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Blue-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus caeruleogularis).
cognatus (Nelson, 1912) - Central and eastern Panama south to western Colombia (Chocó). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Violet-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus cognatus).
lautus (Bangs, 1898) - North-eastern Colombia (Santa Marta Mts). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Northern Andean Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus lautus).
albivitta (Boissonneau, 1840) - Colombia, western Venezuela, eastern Ecuador. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Greyish-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus albivitta).
griseigularis Chapman, 1915 - Northern part of western Andes and western slope of central Andes of Colombia. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Greyish-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus albivitta).
phaeolaemus (Gould, 1874) - Western slope of western Andes in western Colombia, north of Patia Canyon. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Greyish-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus albivitta).
cyanolaemus (Gould, 1866) - Eastern Andean slope of southern Ecuador to northern Peru (La Libertad, Amazonas). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Black-billed Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus cyanolaemus).
atrogularis (Sturm, 1841) - Central Ecuador to western Bolivia. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Black-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus atrogularis).
dimidiatus (Ridgway, 1886) - Hills and lowlands from eastern Peru to western Brazil (Acre) and northern Bolivia (Pando). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Black-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus atrogularis). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Greyish-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus albivitta).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet