Typical Antbirds (Thamnophilidae)

Black-faced Antbird (Myrmoborus myotherinus) - HBW 8, p. 642

French: Alapi masqué German: Schmalbrauen-Ameisenschnäpper Spanish: Hormiguero Carinegro

Taxonomy: Thamnophilus myotherinus Spix, 1825, no locality = Fonte Boa, Rio Solimões, Brazil.
Similar to other members of genus in morphology, vocalizations and behaviour. Present species in need of taxonomic study; races possibly constitute more than one species, while some may represent only clinal plumage variation. Revised interface between nominate and race elegans is based on preliminary analysis of vocalizations. In addition, latter intergrades with described race napensis (E Ecuador, NE Peru) with no clear boundary between them; the two considered better synonymized pending further review. Seven subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

elegans (P. L. Sclater, 1857) - S Venezuela (W Bolívar, S Amazonas), extreme NW Amazonian Brazil (N Roraima, NW Amazonas in upper R Negro region), and SE Colombia (Meta, Vaupés) S to C Peru (N of R Amazon, W of R Ucayali).
myotherinus (Spix, 1825) - extreme E Peru (E of R Ucayali), SW Amazonian Brazil (W Amazonas, Acre) and NW Bolivia (Pando S to La Paz, Cochabamba and WC Santa Cruz).
incanus Hellmayr, 1929 - NW Amazonian Brazil (N bank of R Solimões between R Japurá and R Iça).

See all 7 subspecies

elegans (P. L. Sclater, 1857) - S Venezuela (W Bolívar, S Amazonas), extreme NW Amazonian Brazil (N Roraima, NW Amazonas in upper R Negro region), and SE Colombia (Meta, Vaupés) S to C Peru (N of R Amazon, W of R Ucayali).
myotherinus (Spix, 1825) - extreme E Peru (E of R Ucayali), SW Amazonian Brazil (W Amazonas, Acre) and NW Bolivia (Pando S to La Paz, Cochabamba and WC Santa Cruz).
incanus Hellmayr, 1929 - NW Amazonian Brazil (N bank of R Solimões between R Japurá and R Iça).
ardesiacus Todd, 1927 - R Japurá E to lower R Negro.
proximus Todd, 1927 - S bank of R Amazon between R Purus and R Madeira.
sororius (Hellmayr, 1910) - SC Amazonian Brazil (SE Amazonas, Rondônia).
ochrolaema (Hellmayr, 1906) - E from R Madeira and R Roosevelt to R Tocantins and S Marajó I, and S to SW & C Mato Grosso.