PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 113(4):864-870. 2000. A new taxon in the Amazilia viridifrons (Chordata: Aves: Trochilidae) complex of southern Mexico A. T. Peterson and A. G. Navarro-Sigiienza (ATP) Natural History Museum, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, U.S.A.; (AGN-S) Museo de Zoologia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D.F. 04510, Mexico Abstract. — ^We examined variation among populations of the complex as-semblage of hummingbirds presently considered to constitute Amazilia viridi-frons (Elliott, 1871), of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. A previous author had correctly suggested recognition of most Oaxaca populations as a full species, A. wagneri Phillips, 1964. We found that the Chiapas populations are also recognizable as a distinct taxon; because no name had previously been applied to these populations, we name it as a new subspecies, A. viridifrons villadai. Populations recently described as A. viridifrons rowleyi are actually referable to A. wagneri; moreover, that subspecies is not valid as an entity distinct from the remainder of A. wagneri. Resumen. — Se examino la variacion entre las poblaciones del complexo de colibries que actualmente constituyen Amazilia viridifrons (Elliott, 1871), ha-bitando a partes de Guerrero, Oaxaca y Chiapas. Otro autor habia sugerido correctamente la separacion de muchas de las poblaciones de Oaxaca como A. wagneri Phillips, 1964. Nosotros encontramos que las poblaciones tambien son reconocibles a nivel de especie, y proponemos el nombre de A. viridifrons villadai. Argumentamos tambien que las poblaciones recieiitemente descritas como A. viridifrons rowleyi Howell, 1993 pertenecen mas bien a A. wagneri, y que la subespecie no se debe de considerar valida. The taxonomic history of the Amazilia (1945), however, not only did not recognize violiceps (Gould 1859) and A. viridifrons the two forms as full species, but also in-(Elliott 1 87 1 ) species groups has been com-eluded both violet-and green-crowned plex. A brief historical summary of the tax-forms within the nominate subspecies of onomic treatment of the group follows. Amazilia violiceps (see also Wetmore Amazilia violiceps was described in 1860 1947). Although Friedmann et al. (1950) by Gould, and eleven years later Elliott recognized the green-crowned forms as a (1871) described A. viridifrons based on a full species, Phillips (1964) reduced them specimen from Putla de Guerrero, in west-again to the rank of subspecies within A. em Oaxaca. Salvin (1892) treated the two violiceps on the basis of the absence of a forms as separate species, as did Ridgway clear zone of sympatry between the two (1911). Salvin & Godman (1892) described forms. Most subsequent authors (e.g., AOU an additional violet-crowned species, A. 1983, 1998; Binford 1989) have treated the guerrerensis, now in the synonymy of A. violet-and green-crowned forms as full violiceps. species. In general, early treatments recognized In the only recent treatment of the group, violet-{violiceps) and green-crowned {vir-Howell (1993) also recognized Amazilia idifrons) forms as full species. Peters viridifrons as a species separate from A.
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