Microchera
Appearance
	
	
| Microchera | |
|---|---|
|   | |
| Snowcap (Microchera albocoronata) | |
| Scientific classification   | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Chordata | 
| Class: | Aves | 
| Clade: | Strisores | 
| Order: | Apodiformes | 
| Family: | Trochilidae | 
| Tribe: | Trochilini | 
| Genus: | Microchera Gould, 1858 | 
| Type species | |
| Mellisuga albocoronata[1] Lawrence, 1855 | |
| Species | |
| 3, see text | |
Microchera is a genus of hummingbirds.
Species
[edit]The genus includes three species:[2]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snowcap | Microchera albocoronata (Lawrence, 1855) Two subspecies[3] 
 | Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama   | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC 
 | 
| Coppery-headed emerald | Microchera cupreiceps (Lawrence, 1866) | Costa Rica   | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC 
 | 
| White-tailed emerald | Microchera chionura (Gould, 1851) | Costa Rica and Panama.   | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC 
 | 
The white-tailed emerald and the coppery-headed emerald were formerly placed in the genus Elvira. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2014 found that these two species were closely related to the snowcap in the genus Microchera.[4] The three species were therefore placed together in Microchera which has priority.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Trochilidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ^ a b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (August 2022). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List. v 12.2. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
- ^ McGuire, J.; Witt, C.; Remsen, J.V.; Corl, A.; Rabosky, D.; Altshuler, D.; Dudley, R. (2014). "Molecular phylogenetics and the diversification of hummingbirds". Current Biology. 24 (8): 910–916. Bibcode:2014CBio...24..910M. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.03.016. PMID 24704078.
 
	










