Integrative taxonomy of Flatbill Flycatchers (Tyrannidae) reveals a new species from the Amazonian lowlands

Integrative taxonomic studies continue to reveal that many current polytypic species of birds are in fact constituted by two or more and therefore have been central uncovering ‘hidden’ ‘cryptic’ biodiversity. The Olivaceous Flatbill (Aves: Tyrannidae: Rhynchocyclus olivaceus) currently has nine recognized subspecies distributed throughout the Neotropics, but so far, no complete phylogenetic hypothesis exists test validity evolutionary relationships among them. To remedy this, we conducted a multi-character integrative revision genus Rhynchocyclus, focusing on R. olivaceus. combination taxonomically dense sampled multilocus phylogeny (including three mitochondrial nuclear genes) with phenotypic analyses including morphological vocal characters pointed several inconsistencies within strongly support olivaceus is paraphyletic, an exclusively cis-Andean clade (where topotypic found) clustering as sister fulvipectus, exclusion grouping trans-Andean western Amazonian populations placed olivaceus—one which unnamed fully diagnosable based genetic characters. Consistent results, our identified at least four morphologically cryptic lineages can be mutually diagnosed from each other different loudsongs call parameters. Therefore, provide evidence for splitting these groups into separate species, sympatric not syntopic Amazonia, described herein—Rhynchocyclus cryptus, sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2DC17190-2BDD-49EC-88E6-4CF2FC2562A3.