Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae)

Mouse-coloured Tapaculo (Scytalopus speluncae) - HBW 8, p. 771

French: Mérulaxe souris German: Mausgrauer Tapaculo Spanish: Churrín Plomizo

Taxonomy: Malacorhynchus speluncae Ménétriés, 1835, São João del Rei, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Closely related to S. iraiensis. Some geographical variation in voice suggests that present species may involve more than a single taxon; further research required. Birds from NE Argentina (Misiones) have longest bill and shortest wing, but no other differences sufficient to warrant subspecific separation. Monotypic.

Distribution: E & SE Brazil in interior S Bahía, W Espírito Santo and S Minas Gerais S to Rio Grande do Sul, and NE Argentina (Misiones); sight records from SE Paraguay (Caazapá) require confirmation.