The Urubamba antpitta (''Grallaria occabambae'') is a

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Grallariidae Grallariidae is a family of smallish passerine birds of subtropical and tropical Central and South America known as antpittas. They are between 10 and 20 cm (4–8 in) in length, and are related to the antbirds, Thamnophilidae, and gna ...

. The species was first described as a subspecies by Frank Chapman in 1923. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

. It is a member of the rufous antpitta

species complex In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

and was elevated from

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

in 2020 on the basis of differences in

plumage Plumage ( "feather") is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, ...

and vocalization. The same study also described a new subspecies of Urubamba antpitta (''G. o. marcapatensis'').

Taxonomy

The Urubamba antpitta was first described as a subspecies of rufous antpitta in 1923, but a 2020 study found that differences in plumage and vocalizations warrant elevation to species. There are two

of Urubamba antpitta: ''G. o. occabambae'' and ''G. o. marcapatensis''. They are distinguishable by minor plumage differences and differences in song. The

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

was given by

Charles B. Cory Charles Barney Cory (January 31, 1857 – July 31, 1921) was an American ornithologist and golfer. Biography Cory was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father had made a fortune from a large import business, ensuring that his son never had to ...

and

Carl Edward Hellmayr Carl Eduard Hellmayr (29 January 1878 in Vienna, Austria – 24 February 1944 in Orselina, Switzerland) was an Austrian ornithologist. Biography Hellmayr was born in Vienna and studied at the University of Vienna, although he did not complete hi ...

in 1924 and is named for the type locality of the species:

Urubamba, Peru Urubamba (possibly from in the Quechua spelling ''Urupampa'', flat land of spiders) is a small town in Peru, located near the Urubamba River under the snow-capped mountain Chicón. Located one hour from Cusco, Urubamba is the largest town in the ...

. The subspecies'

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''marcapatensis'', comes from for the

Marcapata district The Marcapata District is one of the twelve districts in the Quispicanchi Province in Peru. Created on January 20, 1869, its capital is Marcapata. Geography The Willkanuta mountain range traverses the province. Some of the highest peaks of th ...

where the

type specimen In biology, a type is a particular wiktionary:en:specimen, specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to a ...

was found.

Distribution and habitat

The Urubamba antpitta is endemic to the Peruvian departments of Junín and

Cusco Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the list of cities in Peru, seventh m ...

. Subspecies ''G. o. occabambae'' is found west of the Yanatili river valley, and subspecies ''G. o. marcapatensis'' is found to the Yanatili's east. It inhabits humid

montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

and prefers the

understory In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (Commonwealth English), also known as underbrush or undergrowth, includes plant life growing beneath the forest canopy without penetrating it to any great extent, but abov ...

forest floor The forest floor, also called detritus, duff and the O horizon, is one of the most distinctive features of a forest ecosystem. It mainly consists of shed vegetative parts, such as leaves, branches, bark, and stems, existing in various stage ...

. It is found at elevations of 2,450–3,650 m. The Urubamba antpitta is separated from the closely related Ayacucho antpitta by the

Apurímac river The Apurímac River ( que, Apurimaq mayu; es, Río Apurímac, ; from Quechua ''apu'' 'divinity' and ''rimaq'' 'oracle, talker') rises from glacial meltwater of the ridge of the Mismi, a mountain in the Arequipa Province in the south-western m ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q98182803 Birds of Peru Endemic fauna of Peru Grallaria Birds described in 1923