A species that has not been identified by Ant sex Call me It was discovered in the isolated highland rainforests of northeastern Brazil.
Batorite ants (Chamisa paturitensis). Image credit: Fabio Nunes.
“Call me “It includes subterranean ground-dwelling birds that are specialized for life in neotropical forests,” said Wagner Cavarzer, an ornithologist at Paulista University, and his colleagues.
“These secretive birds occupy forest floors from lowland to mid-altitude mountain habitats, where they feed primarily on leaf litter and among fallen tree trunks for arthropods.”
“Although they sometimes follow swarms of ants, this behavior occurs less frequently than other birds that follow ants.”
“Call me The species displays cryptic plumage adapted for camouflage with leaf litter, with no obvious sexual dimorphism.
“Their reproductive strategy involves nesting in the natural cavities of decaying tree trunks, with bi-parental care extending through the nesting and developmental stages.”
“Ecologically, they forage solitarily and have a limited ability to disperse, reflecting their specialization in sedentary forest interiors.”
“The genus consists of six species with distinct biogeographical distributions across forest regions of South America.”
In their new study, the researchers found that… Short-tailed ants (Chamisa campanissana) Those living in the Paturiti Mountains of the Brazilian state of Ceará are distinct enough to warrant classification as their own species: Chamisa paturitensis (Common name is Baturiti ant).
“Currently, there are 12 subtypes of Chamisa campanissana These species are known, they explained, and show a wide but fragmented distribution across northern and central South America.
The researchers analyzed 183 audio recordings from two people Chamisa campanissana subtypes (copy. Campanisona and copy. com. tshororo) were collected from across the Atlantic Forest region, and combine traditional acoustic analysis with machine learning tools.
The results revealed three different styles of song among the people of eastern South America.
Birds in the Bathuriti Mountains sing faster and longer than their southern relatives, with no overlap in frequency between groups.
The researchers analyzed 134 museum samples from the two Chamisa campanissana Subspecies. In addition, they examined 80 other samples through photographs.
They found that the new species lacks the small black patch above the beak found in southern populations, and its throat and chest are more solid.
“Formally Chamisa paturitensis Looks like Chamisa campanissana But they differ in their lack of the black front spot and the characteristic yellow lore of that species.
Chamisa paturitensis It is only known from two sites within the rainforest area of less than 100 km22.
These “celestial islands” formed during ancient climate shifts, when the region’s Atlantic forest habitats expanded and then retreated, and species flocked to cooler, wetter mountain refuges.
“This species is confined to the Baturiti Mountains, an upland rainforest complex known locally as Brejos de Altitude, surrounded by the seasonally dry Caatinga Mountains, in the municipalities of Guaramiranga and Bacuti, Ceara, northeastern Brazil, north of the São Francisco River,” the scientists said.
The authors note Chamisa paturitensis It faces threats from poaching and its conservation status has not yet been assessed.
“Because it had not previously been recognized as a distinct lineage, Chamisa paturitensis “It is not included in current national or global threat assessments,” they said.
“However, given its estimated incidence of less than 100 km2 With its clear dependence on well-preserved forests, this species should currently be treated as… Lack of data Population studies even allow a robust assessment of their conservation status.
discovery Chamisa paturitensis It is stated in A paper Published in the magazine zoology.
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Lucas Romero et al. 2026. Uncovering hidden diversity: acoustic and morphological evidence for new species of Call me (Aves: Formicariidae). zoology 43:e25083; doi: 10.1590/S1984-4689.v43.e25083
