Chlorostilbon is a genus of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae, known as emeralds (as are some hummingbirds in the genera Amazilia and Elvira). A single species, the blue-chinned sapphire is variously placed in the monotypic genus Chlorestes or in Chlorostilbon. The taxonomy of the C. mellisugus superspecies is highly complex and, depending on view, includes 1-8 species. All species in this genus have straight black or black-and-red bills. The males are overall iridescent green, golden-green or bluish-green, and in some species the tail and/or throat is blue. The females have whitish-grey underparts, tail-corners and post-ocular streak.
Taxonomy The genus Chlorostilbon was introduced in 1853 by the English ornithologist John Gould to accommodate a single species to which Gould gave the binomial name Chlorostilbon prasinus. The 5 volumes were issued in 25 parts between 1849 and 1861. Title pages of all volumes bear the date of 1861. This taxon is now considered as a subspecies of the glittering-bellied emerald Chlorostilbon lucidus pucherani.
Species The genus contains ten species: Male Female Common name Scientific name Distribution Blue-tailed emeraldChlorostilbon mellisugus Chiribiquete emeraldChlorostilbon olivaresiRed-billed emeraldChlorostilbon gibsoniGlittering-bellied emeraldChlorostilbon lucidusShort-tailed emeraldChlorostilbon poortmani Narrow-tailed emeraldChlorostilbon stenurus Green-tailed emeraldChlorostilbon alice Coppery emeraldChlorostilbon russatus Garden emeraldChlorostilbon assimilis Western emeraldChlorostilbon melanorhynchus
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