Purple-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma sperata) [XC893083]
by Greg Irving from Cayulo Streamside Trail, near Puerto Princesa, Palawan, MIMAROPA, Philippines (call)
Purple-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma) [XC617683]
by Frank Lambert from Near waterfall trail, Samar National Park, Eastern Visayas, Philippines (call, song)
Subspecies
Genus often subsumed in Nectarinia. Genus names Leptocoma and Chalcostetha described simultaneously, and former has been selected by First Reviser as having precedence. Type of genus Leptocoma is hasseltii (= brasiliana). Possibly forms a superspecies with Black Sunbird (Leptocoma aspasia). Geographical plumage variation considerable. Subspecies form two groups, "nominate group" (containing Philippine races) and "brasiliana group" (containing other subspecies), and has been suggested that these may be better treated as two distinct species. Subspecies mecynorhyncha and oenopa perhaps not tenable, and could perhaps be merged with brasiliana. Nominate subspecies intergrades and hybridizes with henkei (hybrids described as subspecies theresae) and with juliae (hybrids described as subspecies davaoensis). An apparently stable hybrid population exists on Sibuyan (north-central Philippines).
Other proposed subspecies in Philippines are manueli (from Karlagan, in Polillo Is), synonymized with nominate; minima (Mati Municipality, in Davao Province of Mindanao) synonymized with trochilus; and whiteheadi (northern Luzon), subsumed in henkei. Elsewhere, proposed subspecies phayrei (Myanmar), oenopa (Nias I, off western Sumatra) and hypolampis (South Pagai I, off western Sumatra) all included in brasiliana; also, hasseltii (Java) is a synonym of brasiliana. Birds of this species recorded recently in northern Vietnam probably belong to subspecies emmae. Described form marinduquensis is based on misidentification of female of Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja) (of subspecies magnifica).
The following 9 subspecies are recognised:
brasiliana (Linnaeus, 1766) - North-eastern India (Assam, Tripura, Manipur), Bangladesh hills and western and south-western Myanmar south to southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra (and islands off western coast except Simeulue), and western Java and Borneo. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Maroon-bellied Sunbird (Leptocoma brasiliana).
emmae Delacour and Jabouille, 1928 - Cambodia, southern Laos and southern Vietnam (probably also this subspecies in Tonkin). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Maroon-bellied Sunbird (Leptocoma brasiliana).
mecynorhyncha (Oberholser, 1912) - Simeulue I (off western Sumatra). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Maroon-bellied Sunbird (Leptocoma brasiliana).
eumecis (Oberholser, 1917) - Anamba Is, off eastern Peninsular Malaysia. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Maroon-bellied Sunbird (Leptocoma brasiliana).
axantha (Oberholser, 1932) - Northern Natuna Is. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Maroon-bellied Sunbird (Leptocoma brasiliana).
henkei (Meyer, AB, 1884) - Calayan, Babuyon Claro, Fuga and Camiguin Norte, and mountains of northern and central Luzon, in northern Philippine Is.
sperata (Linnaeus, 1766) - Northern Philippines (central and southern Luzon, Polillo, Marinduque and Cantanduanes).
juliae (Tweeddale, 1877) - Western and central Mindanao and Sulu Archipelago (Malanipa, Malamaui, Basilan, Tonquil, Jolo, Siasi, Tawi-Tawi, Sanga Sanga, Bongao, Simunul, Sibutu), in southern Philippines. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Orange-lined Sunbird (Leptocoma juliae).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet