Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae)

Cream-bellied Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus merrilli) - HBW 4, p. 206

French: Ptilope de Merrill German: Merrillfruchttaube Spanish: Tilopo de Merrill
Other common names: Merrill's/Cream-breasted Fruit-dove

Taxonomy: Leucotreron merrilli McGregor, 1916, Laguna Province, Luzon.
Formerly placed in genus Leucotreron; a later proposal returned all members of that group to Ptilinopus, but placed present species in subgenus Rhamphiculus along with other Philippine and Sulawesi forms P. marchei, P. occipitalis, P. fischeri, P. subgularis and P. leclancheri; characters of Rhamphiculus include relatively large size, and emarginated first primaries. Present species is most closely allied with P. marchei. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution: