Gnatcatchers (Polioptilidae)

Long-billed Gnatwren (Ramphocaenus melanurus) - HBW 11, p. 369

French: Microbate à long bec German: Schwarzschwanz-Degenschnäbler Spanish: Soterillo Picudo
Other common names: Straight-billed Gnatwren; Black-tailed Gnatwren (South American races)

Taxonomy: Ramphocaenus melanurus Vieillot, 1819, vicinity of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Races rufiventris and griseodorsalis were, until 1931, considered to represent a separate species; may warrant restoration as such. Taxonomy of this species in need of review and revision. Distributional limits of N races and of albiventris uncertain; details listed below are tentative. Fifteen subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

rufiventris (Bonaparte, 1838) - lowlands of S Mexico (SC Veracruz, N Oaxaca, N & S Chiapas), N & S Guatemala, W Belize, N Honduras and El Salvador S to C Panama, and intermittently to SW Ecuador.
ardeleo Van Tyne & Trautman, 1941 - SE Mexico (Yucatán Peninsula S to SW Campeche and Quintana Roo).
panamensis A. R. Phillips, 1991 - C & E Panama (including Azuero Peninsula); possibly extending N to Costa Rica.

See all 15 subspecies

rufiventris (Bonaparte, 1838) - lowlands of S Mexico (SC Veracruz, N Oaxaca, N & S Chiapas), N & S Guatemala, W Belize, N Honduras and El Salvador S to C Panama, and intermittently to SW Ecuador.
ardeleo Van Tyne & Trautman, 1941 - SE Mexico (Yucatán Peninsula S to SW Campeche and Quintana Roo).
panamensis A. R. Phillips, 1991 - C & E Panama (including Azuero Peninsula); possibly extending N to Costa Rica.
sanctaemarthae P. L. Sclater, 1862 - Caribbean coast of N Colombia and NW Venezuela.
pallidus Todd, 1913 - N Colombia (Zulia Valley) and N Venezuela (Falcón E to Miranda).
trinitatis Lesson, 1839 - W & NE Venezuela (W Apure E to Sucre), E Colombia (W Meta, W Putumayo) and NW Brazil (R Amajaú); Trinidad.
griseodorsalis Chapman, 1912 - W Colombia (W Caldas S to SC Valle).
albiventris P. L. Sclater, 1883 - E Venezuela (E Bolívar) E to Suriname and French Guiana, S to NC Brazil (C Pará).
duidae J. T. Zimmer, 1937 - S Venezuela, E Colombia and E Ecuador.
badius J. T. Zimmer, 1937 - SE Ecuador and E Peru (C Amazonas).
amazonum Hellmayr, 1907 - E Peru (E bank of upper R Ucayali) to NC Brazil (W Pará).
obscurus J. T. Zimmer, 1931 - E Peru from W bank of upper R Ucayali (Santa Rosa) S to E Junín.
austerus J. T. Zimmer, 1937 - N coastal Brazil (E Pará, N Maranhão).
sticturus Hellmayr, 1902 - WC Brazil (NW Mato Grosso).
melanurus Vieillot, 1819 - coastal E Brazil from Paraíba S to Santa Caterina.