Limestone Leaf-warbler
Encyclopedia
The Limestone Leaf-warbler (Phylloscopus calciatilis) is a species of warbler in the family Phylloscopidae
. When this species was first seen, beginning in 1994, it was mistaken for the similar Sulphur-breasted Warbler
. It is smaller than the Sulphur-breasted Warbler, and has more rounded wings. The plumage
is almost identical, with comparisons showing only a slightly colder yellow below and a greyer tinge above. Although smaller, the bill is proportionally larger than that of the Sulphur-breasted Warbler. Accurate measurements are not available; the holotype
has a wing length of 5.2 centimetres (2 in); the paratype
a tail length of 3.7 centimetres (1.5 in) and a bill length of 1.39 centimetre (0.547244094488189 in). The species is known to occur in northern Vietnam
and Laos
, and potentially also occurs in southern China
as well. The species name, calciatilis, means "dwelling on limestone", which along with its common name is a reference to its natural habitat
, which is broadleaved evergreen and semi-evergreen forest
growing around limestone karst
mountains. The Bare-faced Bulbul
, described in 2009, was found in the karst of the same region.
Phylloscopidae
Phylloscopidae is a newly described family of small insectivorous birds formerly placed in the Old World warbler family. Its members occur in Eurasia, ranging into Wallacea and Africa...
. When this species was first seen, beginning in 1994, it was mistaken for the similar Sulphur-breasted Warbler
Sulphur-breasted Warbler
The Sulphur-breasted Warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the Phylloscopidae family.It is found in China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam....
. It is smaller than the Sulphur-breasted Warbler, and has more rounded wings. The plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is almost identical, with comparisons showing only a slightly colder yellow below and a greyer tinge above. Although smaller, the bill is proportionally larger than that of the Sulphur-breasted Warbler. Accurate measurements are not available; the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
has a wing length of 5.2 centimetres (2 in); the paratype
Paratype
Paratype is a technical term used in the scientific naming of species and other taxa of organisms. The exact meaning of the term paratype when it is used in zoology is not the same as the meaning when it is used in botany...
a tail length of 3.7 centimetres (1.5 in) and a bill length of 1.39 centimetre (0.547244094488189 in). The species is known to occur in northern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, and potentially also occurs in southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
as well. The species name, calciatilis, means "dwelling on limestone", which along with its common name is a reference to its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
, which is broadleaved evergreen and semi-evergreen forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
growing around limestone karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
mountains. The Bare-faced Bulbul
Bare-faced Bulbul
The Bare-faced Bulbul is a species of bulbul described from Laos in 2009. It is one of the very few Asian songbirds with a bald face and is the first new species of bulbul to be described from Asia in over a century....
, described in 2009, was found in the karst of the same region.