Lesbiini is one of the two tribes that make up the subfamily Lesbiinae in the hummingbird family Trochilidae. The other tribe is Heliantheini (brilliants).

The informal name "coquettes" has been proposed for this group as the largest genus, Lophornis, has 11 species with "coquette" in their common name.

The tribe contains 67 species divided into 18 genera.

Phylogeny

A molecular phylogenetic study of the hummingbirds published in 2007 found that the family was composed of nine major clades. When Edward Dickinson and James Van Remsen, Jr. updated the Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World for the 4th edition in 2013 they based their classification on these results and placed two of the nine clades in a new subfamily Lesbiinae. Each clade formed a separate tribe which they named Lesbinii and Heliantheini. The subfamily Lesbiinae had been introduced by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach in 1854.

Cladograms

Molecular phylogenetic studies by Jimmy McGuire and collaborators published between 2007 and 2014 determined the relationships between the major groups of hummingbirds. In the cladogram below the English names are those introduced in 1997. The Latin names are those proposed by Dickinson and Remsen in 2013.

TrochilidaeFlorisuginae – topazes Phaethornithinae – hermits Polytminae – mangoes Lesbiinae Heliantheini – brilliants Lesbiini – coquettes Patagoninaegiant hummingbird Trochilinae Lampornithini – mountain gems Mellisugini – bees Trochilini – emeralds
Florisuginae – topazes Phaethornithinae – hermits
Florisuginae – topazes
Phaethornithinae – hermits
Polytminae – mangoes Lesbiinae Heliantheini – brilliants Lesbiini – coquettes Patagoninaegiant hummingbird Trochilinae Lampornithini – mountain gems Mellisugini – bees Trochilini – emeralds
Polytminae – mangoes
Lesbiinae Heliantheini – brilliants Lesbiini – coquettes Patagoninaegiant hummingbird Trochilinae Lampornithini – mountain gems Mellisugini – bees Trochilini – emeralds
LesbiinaeHeliantheini – brilliants Lesbiini – coquettes
Heliantheini – brilliants
Lesbiini – coquettes
Patagoninaegiant hummingbird Trochilinae Lampornithini – mountain gems Mellisugini – bees Trochilini – emeralds
Patagoninaegiant hummingbird
TrochilinaeLampornithini – mountain gems Mellisugini – bees Trochilini – emeralds
Lampornithini – mountain gems Mellisugini – bees
Lampornithini – mountain gems
Mellisugini – bees
Trochilini – emeralds

The 2014 study also determined the relationships between the genera within the Lesbiini.

LesbiiniSephanoides – firecrowns (2 species) Lophornis – coquettes (11 species) Discosura – thorntails and coquette (5 species) Phlogophilus – piedtails (2 species) Heliangelus – sunangels (9 species) Adelomyia – speckled hummingbird Taphrolesbia – grey-bellied comet Aglaiocercus – sylphs (3 species) Sappho – red-tailed comet Ramphomicron – thornbills (2 species) Lesbia – trainbearers (2 species) Oreotrochilus – hillstars (7 species) Polyonymus – bronze-tailed comet Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Sephanoides – firecrowns (2 species) Lophornis – coquettes (11 species) Discosura – thorntails and coquette (5 species)
Sephanoides – firecrowns (2 species)
Lophornis – coquettes (11 species) Discosura – thorntails and coquette (5 species)
Lophornis – coquettes (11 species)
Discosura – thorntails and coquette (5 species)
Phlogophilus – piedtails (2 species) Heliangelus – sunangels (9 species) Adelomyia – speckled hummingbird Taphrolesbia – grey-bellied comet Aglaiocercus – sylphs (3 species) Sappho – red-tailed comet Ramphomicron – thornbills (2 species) Lesbia – trainbearers (2 species) Oreotrochilus – hillstars (7 species) Polyonymus – bronze-tailed comet Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Phlogophilus – piedtails (2 species)
Heliangelus – sunangels (9 species) Adelomyia – speckled hummingbird Taphrolesbia – grey-bellied comet Aglaiocercus – sylphs (3 species) Sappho – red-tailed comet Ramphomicron – thornbills (2 species) Lesbia – trainbearers (2 species) Oreotrochilus – hillstars (7 species) Polyonymus – bronze-tailed comet Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Heliangelus – sunangels (9 species)
Adelomyia – speckled hummingbird Taphrolesbia – grey-bellied comet Aglaiocercus – sylphs (3 species) Sappho – red-tailed comet Ramphomicron – thornbills (2 species) Lesbia – trainbearers (2 species) Oreotrochilus – hillstars (7 species) Polyonymus – bronze-tailed comet Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Adelomyia – speckled hummingbird Taphrolesbia – grey-bellied comet Aglaiocercus – sylphs (3 species)
Adelomyia – speckled hummingbird
Taphrolesbia – grey-bellied comet Aglaiocercus – sylphs (3 species)
Taphrolesbia – grey-bellied comet
Aglaiocercus – sylphs (3 species)
Sappho – red-tailed comet Ramphomicron – thornbills (2 species) Lesbia – trainbearers (2 species) Oreotrochilus – hillstars (7 species) Polyonymus – bronze-tailed comet Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Sappho – red-tailed comet Ramphomicron – thornbills (2 species) Lesbia – trainbearers (2 species)
Sappho – red-tailed comet
Ramphomicron – thornbills (2 species) Lesbia – trainbearers (2 species)
Ramphomicron – thornbills (2 species)
Lesbia – trainbearers (2 species)
Oreotrochilus – hillstars (7 species) Polyonymus – bronze-tailed comet Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Oreotrochilus – hillstars (7 species)
Polyonymus – bronze-tailed comet Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Polyonymus – bronze-tailed comet
Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Opisthoprora – mountain avocetbill
Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species) Metallura – metaltails (9 species)
Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species) Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species)
Chalcostigma – thornbills (5 species)
Oreonympha – bearded mountaineer
Oxypogon – helmetcrests (4 species)
Metallura – metaltails (9 species)

Taxonomic list

The tribe contains 18 genera.

ImageGenusLiving species
HeliangelusOrange-throated sunangel, Heliangelus mavors Amethyst-throated sunangel, Heliangelus amethysticollis Longuemare's sunangel, Heliangelus clarisse Merida sunangel, Heliangelus spencei Gorgeted sunangel, Heliangelus strophianus Tourmaline sunangel, Heliangelus exortis Flame-throated sunangel, Heliangelus micrastur Purple-throated sunangel, Heliangelus viola Royal sunangel, Heliangelus regalis
SephanoidesGreen-backed firecrown, Sephanoides sephaniodes Juan Fernández firecrown, Sephanoides fernandensis
DiscosuraWire-crested thorntail, Discosura popelairii Black-bellied thorntail, Discosura langsdorffi Letitia's thorntail, Discosura letitiae Green thorntail, Discosura conversii Racket-tailed coquette, Discosura longicauda
LophornisTufted coquette, Lophornis ornatus Dot-eared coquette, Lophornis gouldii Frilled coquette, Lophornis magnificus Short-crested coquette, Lophornis brachylophus Rufous-crested coquette, Lophornis delattrei Spangled coquette, Lophornis stictolophus Festive coquette, Lophornis chalybeus Butterfly coquette, Lophornis verreauxii Peacock coquette, Lophornis pavoninus Black-crested coquette, Lophornis helenae White-crested coquette, Lophornis adorabilis
PhlogophilusEcuadorian piedtail, Phlogophilus hemileucurus Peruvian piedtail, Phlogophilus harterti
AdelomyiaSpeckled hummingbird, Adelomyia melanogenys
AglaiocercusLong-tailed sylph, Aglaiocercus kingii Violet-tailed sylph, Aglaiocercus coelestis Venezuelan sylph, Aglaiocercus berlepschi
SapphoRed-tailed comet, Sappho sparganurus
PolyonymusBronze-tailed comet, Polyonymus caroli
TaphrolesbiaGrey-bellied comet, Taphrolesbia griseiventris
OreotrochilusAndean hillstar, Oreotrochilus estella White-sided hillstar, Oreotrochilus leucopleurus Ecuadorian hillstar, Oreotrochilus chimborazo Blue-throated hillstar, Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus Green-headed hillstar, Oreotrochilus stolzmanni Black-breasted hillstar, Oreotrochilus melanogaster Wedge-tailed hillstar, Oreotrochilus adela
OpisthoproraMountain avocetbill, Opisthoprora euryptera
LesbiaBlack-tailed trainbearer, Lesbia victoriae Green-tailed trainbearer, Lesbia nuna
RamphomicronBlack-backed thornbill, Ramphomicron dorsale Purple-backed thornbill, Ramphomicron microrhynchum
ChalcostigmaRufous-capped thornbill, Chalcostigma ruficeps Olivaceous thornbill, Chalcostigma olivaceum Blue-mantled thornbill, Chalcostigma stanleyi Bronze-tailed thornbill, Chalcostigma heteropogon Rainbow-bearded thornbill, Chalcostigma herrani
OxypogonBuffy helmetcrest, Oxypogon stuebelii Blue-bearded helmetcrest, Oxypogon cyanolaemus White-bearded helmetcrest, Oxypogon lindenii Green-bearded helmetcrest, Oxypogon guerinii
OreonymphaBearded mountaineer, Oreonympha nobilis
MetalluraTyrian metaltail, Metallura tyrianthina Perija metaltail, Metallura iracunda Viridian metaltail, Metallura williami Violet-throated metaltail, Metallura baroni Neblina metaltail, Metallura odomae Coppery metaltail, Metallura theresiae Fiery-throated metaltail, Metallura eupogon Scaled metaltail, Metallura aeneocauda Black metaltail, Metallura phoebe

Sources

  • Dickinson, E.C.; Remsen, J.V. Jr., eds. (2013). The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Vol.1: Non-passerines (4thed.). Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. ISBN978-0-9568611-0-8.