Tooth-billed Tanager (Piranga lutea) [XC577057]
by Jerome Fischer from Ukuku Rural Lodge, Juntas, Ibague, Tolima, Colombia @ (4.5585,-75.3275), Colombia (call)
Tooth-billed Tanager (Piranga lutea) [XC862694]
by Remco Hofland from Sadiri Lodge, Bolivia (call)
Subspecies
Molecular-genetic evidence indicates that this genus forms a monophyletic group with Habia and Chlorothraupis, and that all three are more closely related to cardinals (Cardinalidae) than to true tanagers. This species, Hepatic Tanager (Piranga hepatica) and Red Tanager (Piranga flava) have traditionally been treated as conspecific, but molecular-genetic analyses suggest that they are better regarded as three separate species, sequence divergence (cytochrome b gene) between individuals from extremes of range (Mexico and Bolivia) being as high as 6·1%. Molecular-genetic data indicate that present species and Hepatic Tanager (Piranga hepatica) are sisters, with Red Tanager (Piranga flava) sister to them. Present species and Hepatic Tanager (Piranga hepatica) are the most similar in appearance, and Red Tanager (Piranga flava) and present species differ most in areas where their distributions approach one another. However, analysis of geographical variation complicated by considerable individual, age and seasonal variation. Subspecies haemalea of present species sometimes regarded as a separate species, and subspecies testacea of lower Central American highlands also may prove to be vocally distinct from populations in Andes. More taxonomic work warranted.
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Red Tanager (Piranga flava).
The following 6 subspecies are recognised:
testacea Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1868 - Highlands from northern Costa Rica (Guanacaste) south to eastern Panama (eastern Darién). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Red Tanager (Piranga flava).
desidiosa Bangs & Noble, 1918 - South-western Colombia in middle and upper Cauca Valley (south from Antioquia, including isolated records at northern end of both western and central Andean ranges) and western slope of western Andes (Dagua Valley south to upper Patía Valley, in Cauca). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Red Tanager (Piranga flava).
lutea (Lesson, R, 1834) - Andes of south-western Colombia (Nariño) south through western Ecuador and Peru (south to Lima in west, and on eastern Andean slope from south of Marañón Valley) south to west-central Bolivia (Cochabamba). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Red Tanager (Piranga flava).
faceta Bangs, 1898 - Northern Colombia (Santa Marta Mts) and Andes and northern cordilleras of Venezuela (east to Paria Peninsula); Trinidad. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Red Tanager (Piranga flava).
toddi Parkes, 1969 - Eastern Andes of Colombia on western slope (at El Cauca, in Magdalena, and Serranía de los Yariguíes, in Santander) and eastern slope (Chicamocha National Park, in Norte de Santander). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Red Tanager (Piranga flava).
haemalea Salvin & Godman, 1883 - Tepuis of southern Venezuela (in Amazonas and Bolívar), and adjacent northern Brazil (Sierra Imerí) and the Guianas. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Red Tanager (Piranga flava).
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