Green toucanets[2] are near-passerine birds from the genusAulacorhynchus in the toucan family. They are native to Mexico, and Central and South America. All are found in humid forests and woodlands in highlands, but a few also occur in adjacent lowlands.[3] They are relatively small toucans, 30–44 centimetres (12–17 in) long, with colorful, mainly green, plumage.[3] They are typically seen in pairs or small groups, and sometimes follow mixed species flocks.[4]
Taxonomy and systematics
A major taxonomy review in 1974 resulted in 6 species in the genus Aulacorhynchus,[5] and this was adopted by virtually all later authorities.[3][6][7][8][9]
In 2001, it was suggested that A. prasinus, as traditionally defined, was a species complex that should be split into 7 different species based on preliminary morphological evidence.[10] This was to some extent supported by genetic evidence, which suggested that additional species should be recognized. As a result, A. griseigularis was split from in A. albivitta based on this early genetic evidence but these species are now lumped together again.[11][12]
Currently, there remains a considerable lack of consensus to support the IOC's latest taxonomy of Aulacorhynchus into eleven species.[13] Several authorities still maintain that the genus Aulacorhynchus has only 7 species and treat the remaining as subspecies.[8][9] The SACC has called for further genetic studies of this genus.[6]
Species
The genus Aulacorhynchus has eleven species considered to belong to the genus:
^ abcShort, L. L., & Horne, J. F. M. (2002). Toucans (Ramphastidae). pp. 220-272 in del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J. eds. (2002). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 7 Jacamars to Woodpecker. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN84-87334-37-7
^Restall, R. L., Rodner, C., & Lentino, M. (2006). Birds of Northern South America. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN0-7136-7243-9 (vol. 1). ISBN0-7136-7242-0 (vol. 2).
^Haffer, J. (1974). Avian speciation in tropical South America. Publ. Nuttall Ornithol. Club 14: 1–390.
^Navarro, A., Peterson, A., López-Medrano, E., and Benítez-Díaz, H. (2001). Species limits in Mesoamerican Aulocorhynchus Toucanets. The Wilson Bull. 113(4): 363-372
^Bonaccorso, E., Guayasamin, J. M., Peterson, A. T., and Navarro-Sigüenza, A. G. (2011). Molecular phylogeny and systematics of Neotropical toucanets in the genus Aulacorhynchus (Aves, Ramphastidae). Zoologica Scripta, 40. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2011.00475.x
^Puebla-Olivares, F., E. Bonaccorso, A. E. de los Monteros, K. E. Omland, J. E. Llorente-Bousquets, A. T. Peterson, and A.G. Navarro-Siguenza. (2008). Speciation in the Emerald Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) complex. The Auk. 125(1): 39-50.