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New species of finch

By jlynch on October 9, 2006.

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Yariguies brush-finch

Atlapetes latinuchus yariguierum

New species described in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club (Vol. 126: June 2006).

The new bird is named for the Yariguies indigenous people who formerly inhabited the mountain range where the bird was found. The new bird is a large and colorful finch with black, yellow and red plumage. It differs from its closest relatives in having a black back and no white markings in its wings. It is also found in other nearby mountains in Colombia's Eastern Andean range. Genetic, morphological and vocal studies have confirmed its identity as a new taxon.

This description is noteworthy in that one of the two birds caught by the team and used in the description as a type specimen was released unharmed, a DNA sample and photographs having been taken. This is the first time that a live specimen has been used for the description of a new bird following the approval by the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature of such techniques last year. (source)

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I keep hearing about new species not having a dead type specimen in a museum. Something makes me think that this will become more and more common, as many new species will have tiny ranges and small remaining populations.