A systematic reappraisal of the Rufous Potoo Nyctibius bracteatus (Nyctibiidae) and description of a new genus

• Published in: Journal of ornithology Vol. 159; no. 2; pp. 367 - 377
• Main Authors: Costa, Thiago V. V., Whitney, Bret M., Braun, Michael J., White, Noor D., Silveira, Luís Fábio, Cleere, Nigel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Congeners; Divergence; Ecology; Endemic species; Fish & Wildlife Biology & Management; Genomes; Life Sciences; New genera; Nyctibiidae; Nyctibius bracteatus; Original Article; Phylogeny; Plumage; Zoology; Molecular phylogeny; Nyctibiidae; Plesiomorphy; Genetic divergence; Osteology
• ISSN: 2193-7192; 2193-7206
• DOI: 10.1007/s10336-017-1511-2

The Rufous Potoo ( Nyctibius bracteatus Gould, 1846) is the smallest member of the family Nyctibiidae, which comprises seven species endemic to the Neotropical region. Morphologically, it is highly distinct from its congeners, not only in its smaller size, but also in possessing a strange marking on its iris and having entirely rufous plumage, which is lightly vermiculated and has pronounced white spots on the wing coverts, breast, belly, flanks and undertail coverts. Molecular studies have shown extraordinarily high levels of genetic divergence amongst potoo species, and a recent genome-scale molecular phylogeny of potoo species placed N. bracteatus as sister to all other potoos with high confidence. Similarly, osteological data reveal that the species has several unique and plesiomorphic characters. Therefore, its distinctive morphology, in combination with unique behavioral traits, and its recurrent placement as the earliest branching terminal in phylogenetic treatments of the family, convinced us to erect a new genus for the species, Phyllaemulor .