SYSTEMATICS AND BIOGEOGRAPHY OF SCALED WOODCREEPERS (AVES, DENDROCOLAPTIDAE)

The geographical variation of three qualitative plumage characters and three body measurements of populations of the Scaled Woodcreeper (Lep idocolaptes squamatus), a species whose range is centered in eastern B razil, is anaylzed. Three distinctive populations are recognized (walg eri, squamatus, and falcinellus). Under the biological species concept (BSC), two species are recognized (L. squamatus, including squamatus and walgeri as subspecies; and L. falcinellus). Under either the phylo genetic species concept (PSC) or under the evolutionary species concep t (ESC), the three distinctive populations should be regarded as indep endent species. Based on plumage similarities, we suggest the squamatu s and wagleri form a monophyletic group, with falcinellus as its siste r-group. Geological changes (tectonism and formation of river courses) are suggested as causal factors that promoted speciation in Scaled Wo odcreepers.