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Finches (Fringillidae)

Streaky-headed Seedeater (Serinus gularis) - HBW 15, p. 531

French: Serin gris German: Brauengirlitz Spanish: Serín Gris
Other common names: Streaky-headed Canary; West African Seedeater/Serin (canicapilla)

Taxonomy: Linaria gularis A. Smith, 1836, Latakoo, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.
Thought to form a superspecies with S. reichardi, and previously considered conspecific. On basis of limited mitochondrial DNA analysis, both species, together with S. mennelli, sometimes placed in genus Poliospiza, indicating only distant relationship with other African members of present genus, but detailed consideration of all taxa in current genus is required before full generic revision can be made. Considerable variation among races in ventral streaking; further, elgonensis from S Sudan and W Kenya does not respond to playback of taped songs of nominate. Prop.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Linaria gularis A. Smith, 1836, Latakoo, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.
Thought to form a superspecies with S. reichardi, and previously considered conspecific. On basis of limited mitochondrial DNA analysis, both species, together with S. mennelli, sometimes placed in genus Poliospiza, indicating only distant relationship with other African members of present genus, but detailed consideration of all taxa in current genus is required before full generic revision can be made. Considerable variation among races in ventral streaking; further, elgonensis from S Sudan and W Kenya does not respond to playback of taped songs of nominate. Proposed race uamensis (described from Basum, near R Ouham, in S Chad) is treated as a synonym of elgonensis. Race montium originally described as "montanorum" but incorrect Latin must be rectified. Eight subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • canicapilla ( du Bus de Gisignies, 1855) - Guinea, Sierra Leone, S Mali and N Ivory Coast E to S Niger and N Cameroon.
  • montium ( Bannerman, 1923) - highlands of E Nigeria and C & W Cameroon.
  • elgonensis ( Ogilvie-Grant, 1912) - S Chad, NW Central African Republic, N DRCongo, S Sudan, N Uganda and extreme W Kenya.

     See all 8 subspecies
  • canicapilla ( du Bus de Gisignies, 1855) - Guinea, Sierra Leone, S Mali and N Ivory Coast E to S Niger and N Cameroon.
  • montium ( Bannerman, 1923) - highlands of E Nigeria and C & W Cameroon.
  • elgonensis ( Ogilvie-Grant, 1912) - S Chad, NW Central African Republic, N DRCongo, S Sudan, N Uganda and extreme W Kenya.
  • benguellensis ( Reichenow, 1904) - C Angola, W Zambia and extreme NE Namibia.
  • mendosus Clancey, 1966 - NE Botswana, Zimbabwe and adjacent NW Mozambique.
  • gularis ( A. Smith, 1836) - SE Botswana and N South Africa (Limpopo and N North West Cape Province).
  • endemion ( Clancey, 1952) - S Mozambique, Swaziland, E South Africa (Mpumalan­ga S to C Free State and KwaZulu-Natal) and Lesotho.
  • humilis ( Bonaparte, 1850) - S South Africa (Western Cape and Eastern Cape).
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