Typical Antbirds (Thamnophilidae)

Bicoloured Antbird (Gymnopithys leucaspis) - HBW 8, p. 672

French: Fourmilier à joues blanches German: Braunweißer Ameisenvogel Spanish: Hormiguero Bicolor
Other common names: White-cheeked Antbird (races E of Andes)

Taxonomy: Myrmeciza leucaspis P. L. Sclater, 1855, Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia.
May prove to be a member of an obligate ant-following clade. Forms a superspecies with G. rufigula. Populations W of Andes (olivascens, bicolor, daguae, aequatorialis, ruficeps) sometimes treated as a separate species (G. bicolor); preliminary study suggests that these are at least moderately differentiated genetically, but further molecular study and analysis of vocalizations are required before taxonomic changes can be recommended. Nine subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • olivascens (Ridgway, 1891) - Caribbean slope in Honduras and Nicaragua, and both slopes in Costa Rica and W Panama (Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí).
  • bicolor (Lawrence, 1863) - C & E Panama (both slopes E from Veraguas) and NW Colombia (Pacific slope in Chocó).
  • daguae Hellmayr, 1906 - Pacific slope in C Colombia (S Chocó S to Cauca).

     See all 9 subspecies
  • olivascens (Ridgway, 1891) - Caribbean slope in Honduras and Nicaragua, and both slopes in Costa Rica and W Panama (Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí).
  • bicolor (Lawrence, 1863) - C & E Panama (both slopes E from Veraguas) and NW Colombia (Pacific slope in Chocó).
  • daguae Hellmayr, 1906 - Pacific slope in C Colombia (S Chocó S to Cauca).
  • aequatorialis (Hellmayr, 1902) - Pacific slope in extreme S Colombia (Nariño) and Ecuador.
  • ruficeps Salvin & Godman, 1892 - N Colombia (N slope of Andes from Antioquia E to S Cesar, and S in Magdalena Valley to Boyacá).
  • leucaspis (P. L. Sclater, 1855) - C Colombia (Meta).
  • castaneus J. T. Zimmer, 1937 - SC Colombia (Putumayo), E Ecuador and N Peru (W of R Napo, N of R Marañón).
  • lateralis Todd, 1927 - SE Colombia (E Caquetá E to S Guianía, S to Amazonas), extreme NE Peru (E of R Napo) and N Brazil N of R Amazon (E to R Negro).
  • peruanus J. T. Zimmer, 1937 - NC Peru (S of R Marañón in S Amazonas, SW Loreto and San Martín).