Plain Becard (Pachyramphus validus) - HBW 9, p. 461

Taxonomy: Lanius validus M. H. K. Lichtenstein, 1823, Paraguay.
Genus formerly included with Tityra in the Cotingidae, but transferred to present family because of several shared, derived features of the skull and syrinx. Because both genera exhibit similarity to cotingids in many other features, some authors prefer to leave them in that family or to treat them as representing a separate family (Tityridae). Phylogenetic affinity of present species unknown. Has been suggested that it is closely related to P. homochrous, P. minor and P. aglaiae; all are sometimes combined in a separate genus, Platypsaris, differing from present genus in nest shape and placement, as well as in some vocal and minor morphological characters. Apparently isolated population discovered in 1998 in SE Ecuador (S Zamora-Chinchipe), more than 1000 km N of previously recorded N limit in S Peru, tentatively included in race audax, but may represent an undescribed taxon. Two subspecies currently recognized.