Typical Antbirds (Thamnophilidae) - HBW 8

Amazonian Antshrike (Thamnophilus amazonicus)

French: Batara d'Amazonie German: Amazonien-Tropfenameisenwürger Spanish: Batará Amazónico
Other common names: Grey-capped Antshrike (cinereiceps)

Taxonomy: Thamnophilus amazonicus P. L. Sclater, 1858, Río Javari, north-east Peru.
Relationships uncertain; has been treated as forming a superspecies with T. caerulescens, but possibly closest to the T. punctatus superspecies. S of R Amazon plumage variation is clinal, but apparent habitat differences suggest that populations may be distinct, although geographical limits of the three S races are tentative; similarly, in NW, some specimens and sight descriptions from W Amazonia suggest intermediacy in plumage between nominate and cinereiceps, but plumage and habitat differences again support the maintaining of races; further research needed. Race hua.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Thamnophilus amazonicus P. L. Sclater,1858. Río Javari, north-east Peru.
Relationships uncertain; has been treated as forming a superspecies with T. caerulescens, but possibly closest to the T. punctatus superspecies. S of R Amazon plumage variation is clinal, but apparent habitat differences suggest that populations may be distinct, although geographical limits of the three S races are tentative; similarly, in NW, some specimens and sight descriptions from W Amazonia suggest intermediacy in plumage between nominate and cinereiceps, but plumage and habitat differences again support the maintaining of races; further research needed. Race huallagae of T. punctatus has sometimes been considered to belong in present species. Five subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

cinereiceps Pelzeln, 1868 - SW Venezuela (W Amazonas), EC Colombia (Vichada and Meta S to Caquetá and Vaupés) and NW Brazil (both banks of upper R Negro and along W lower bank S to R Solimões).
divaricatus Mees, 1974 - extreme E Venezuela (E Bolívar), the Guianas, and NE Brazil N of R Amazon (E of R Branco and R Negro, E to N Pará and Amapá).
amazonicus P. L. Sclater, 1858 - SE Colombia (S Amazonas), extreme E Ecuador (E Napo), E Peru, W Brazil S of R Amazon and W of R Tapajós (S Amazonas and extreme W Pará S to Acre, Rondônia and W Mato Grosso) and N Bolivia (Pando, N La Paz, N Beni, NE Santa Cruz).

See all 5 subspecies

cinereiceps Pelzeln, 1868 - SW Venezuela (W Amazonas), EC Colombia (Vichada and Meta S to Caquetá and Vaupés) and NW Brazil (both banks of upper R Negro and along W lower bank S to R Solimões).
divaricatus Mees, 1974 - extreme E Venezuela (E Bolívar), the Guianas, and NE Brazil N of R Amazon (E of R Branco and R Negro, E to N Pará and Amapá).
amazonicus P. L. Sclater, 1858 - SE Colombia (S Amazonas), extreme E Ecuador (E Napo), E Peru, W Brazil S of R Amazon and W of R Tapajós (S Amazonas and extreme W Pará S to Acre, Rondônia and W Mato Grosso) and N Bolivia (Pando, N La Paz, N Beni, NE Santa Cruz).
obscurus J. T. Zimmer, 1933 - SC Amazonian Brazil (S Pará between R Tapajós and R Tocantins).
paraensis Todd, 1927 - E of R Tocantins in E Pará, W Maranhão and N Tocantins.