Atlapetes blancae

The Antioquia Brush-finch is a poorly known species from the Emberizidae family. It was scientifically described in 2007 on basis of three museum specimens from Antioquia, Colombia, which were previously labelled as Slaty Brush-finch . The specific epithet blancae refers to the whitish underparts of the new species, while also commemorating the Colombian lepidopterologist Blanca Huertas, the wife of ornithologist Thomas Donegan . All three museum skins were collected in the 20th century, but only one label has a date, which is given with 1971. Subsequent fieldwork in Antioquia has failed to find this species again. The species description has been approved by the South American Classification Committee. It has been recommended for a critically endangered status.

The Atlapetes blancae is classified as Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Atlapetes blancae tiene un plumaje distintivo con respecto a otros gorriones, confirmando su identificación como una especie no descrita anteriormente. Adulto y juvenil del Gorrión Montés Paisa (Atlapetes blancae) pintados por Robin Restall Todos los ejemplares del Gorrión Montés Paisa probablemente fueron colectados cerca de uno de los seminarios de la Universidad de La Salle, en el municipio de San Pedro de los Milagros, departamento de Antioquia. More

Atlapetes blancae were found in the natural history museums of Colombian universities, all of which were likely collected near a seminary of La Salle University in Antioquia department of Colombia. Atlapetes blancae has distinctive plumage, confirming its identification as a previously undescribed species. Various explorations in the region where the species was collected over 35 years ago have taken place but none resulted in any observation of the new species. More

description of Atlapetes blancae, together with the lack of field data, may give rise to skepticism. However, Mark Robbins' putative grounds for rejection (that the plumage of Atlapetes blancae could be down to individual variation in Atlapetes schistaceus) are so fanciful that they can be rejected immediately. As noted in the description (cross-referencing the specimen list in Donegan & Huertas 2006 and additional diligence), I directly inspected and took biometrics of 138 specimens of A. More

isabellae and Antioquia Brush-finch Atlapetes blancae that appear for the first time on the BirdLife/IUCN Red List. Both species were recently described from extremely small areas lacking any protection. Searches by ProAves and other researchers for the Antioquia Brush-finch have failed to locate any surviving populations, although hope remains that a small population survives. More

incluyendo el holotipo de Atlapetes blancae), en el American Museum of Natural History, Nueva York -AMNH- (6) y en la Universidad de Antioquia, Medell More

Antioquia Brush-Finch or Atlapetes blancae – has been described as a result of studies supported by Fundación ProAves in Colombia. Ornithologists are concerned about the conservation of the new species, as nobody knows whether or not it still exists. The species was recognised from 3 skins collected separately over the last 50 years. They were initially thought to be from another species, but have recently been recognised as a separate species. More

Atlapetes blancae is a newly described species (Donegan 2007); SACC accepted 8 May 2008 15. Chlorothraupis spp are "tanager-grosbeaks"(Cardinalidae), not tanagers (Thraupidae)(Burns et al. 2003, Klicka et al. 2007);AOU resequences 16. Chlorothraupis frenata is split from C.carmioli (Ridgely and Greenfield 2001); SACC needs proposal 17. Hemispingus auricularis is split from H. More