Climate, altitude and vegetation are usually considered as limiting factors in plant and animal distribution. Among vertebrates, climate and vegetation have consistently been considered as major determinants of geographical distributions. Here we analyzed the role of climate and the vegetation in limiting the geographical range of Atlantic Forest species of Drymophila Swainson, 1824 and assessed the performance of discriminant analysis to model the distribution of sympatric taxa. From each empirical point (locality) we recorded the values for nine climatic variables and the type of vegetation. The climatic data were obtained from a climate database elaborated by the Laboratório de Vertebrados and vegetation data from the ecoregions digital map of Latin America. The overlap of the climatic distribution map with the ecoregion map suggested that both factors are important in limiting the geographical range of Drymophila species. The discriminant approach, as applied here, was not satisfactory when compared with similar analysis carried out on parapatric species.

Foram descritas e analisadas as distribuições altitudinais das seis espécies de Drymophila Swainson, 1824, endêmicas da Mata Atlântica e identificados e discutidos os casos de simpatria. Para isso, foram usados dois conjuntos de dados, um em escala local (a Serra dos Órgãos, um segmento da Serra do Mar no Estado do Rio de Janeiro) e outro em escala regional (Mata Atlântica). Os registros e as altitudes na Serra dos Órgãos foram obtidos diretamente no campo enquanto que os dados da Mata Atlântica foram obtidos principalmente a partir de exemplares depositados em museus de história natural. Os dois conjuntos de dados mostraram um padrão similar de distribuição altitudinal das espécies: D. squamata (Lichtenstein, 1823) e D. ferruginea (Temminck, 1822) nas menores altitudes, D. malura (Temminck, 1825), D. ochropyga (Hellmayr, 1906) e D. rubricollis (Bertoni, 1901) com limites altitudinais semelhantes entre si e intermediários em relação às demais espécies e D. genei (Filippi, 1847), restrita às maiores altitudes. A maior parte das localidades na Mata Atlântica e pontos de observação na Serra dos Órgãos apresenta apenas uma ou duas espécies. Isso sugere que, embora possam ocorrer nas mesmas áreas ou localidades, as espécies tendem a se excluir. Drymophila squamata e D. malura foram as espécies que menos vezes ocorreram em simpatria proporcionalmente, nas duas escalas de análise. A simpatria entre as espécies irmãs D. ochropyga-D. genei e D. ferruginea-D. rubricollis ocorreu em localidades nas Serras do Mar e da Mantiqueira, sempre em faixas altitudinais estreitas, nunca superiores a 300 m de intervalo.

The elevational distribution of Atlantic forest Drymophila Swainson, 1824 was analyzed and sympatry cases were identified and discussed. Two data sets were used, one with local scale data (a portion of Serra do Mar called Serra dos Órgãos, in Rio de Janeiro state) and other with regional scale data (Atlantic forest). The Serra dos Órgãos records and elevations were obtained in the field while Atlantic forest data were compiled mainly following a survey of specimens deposited in natural history museums. Both data sets showed a similar pattern of elevational distribution: D. squamata (Lichtenstein, 1823) and D. ferruginea (Temminck, 1822) at lower elevations, D. malura (Temminck, 1825), D. ochropyga (Hellmayr, 1906) and D. rubricollis (Bertoni, 1901) all with similar, intermediate, elevational limits and D. genei (Filippi, 1847), at higher elevations. Most localities and observation stations presented only one or two species, suggesting that species tend to exclude each other spatially. In comparison, D. squamata and D. malura were the species with the lowest degree of mutual sympatry, probably reflecting distinct habitat preferences in relation to the other Drymophila species. Sympatry between sister species D. ochropyga-D. genei and D. ferruginea-D. rubricollis was observed at Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira localities, along narrow elevational bands, never wider than 300 m.