Tanagers (Thraupidae)

Superciliaried Hemispingus (Hemispingus superciliaris) - HBW 16, p. 166

French: Tangara bridé German: Augenbrauenhemispingus Spanish: Hemispingo Cejudo
Other common names: Superciliated Hemispingus, Superciliaried Tanager; Yellow-browed/Tachira Hemispingus (chrysophrys); White-browed Hemispingus (“superciliaris group”); White-bellied Hemispingus (“leucogastrus group”)

Taxonomy: Arremon superciliaris Lafresnaye, 1840, Santa Fé de Bogotá, Colombia.
Genus has been thought to belong with New World warblers (Parulidae), but recent molecular-genetic data support placement in present family; monophyly of genus questioned, supported by some molecular data, but other molecular data equivocal. Races form three groups, “superciliaris group” (including chrysophrys, nigrifrons and maculifrons), with yellow underparts, “leucogastrus group” (including insignis), with white underparts, and single-species “urubambae group”, with yellow underparts, and no intergrades between groups found; alternatively, chrysophrys treated as separate, single-species group and urubambae as part of “superciliaris group”. “Leap-frog” plumage pattern (yellow underparts in populations on each side of grey population), and supercilium yellow in far N and white elsewhere, are curious morphological differences, suggesting that more than one species involved; genetic analysis needed. Seven subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

chrysophrys (P. L. Sclater & Salvin, 1875) - Andes of Trujillo, Mérida and N Táchira, in W Venezuela.
superciliaris (Lafresnaye, 1840) - E Andes of Colombia (W slope in Santander, E slope in Boyacá, and both slopes in Cundinamarca).
nigrifrons (Lawrence, 1875) - C Andes in Colombia (from Antioquia S on both slopes through Cauca and Nariño) and Ecuador (S on W slope to Azuay and on E slope to Morona-Santiago).

See all 7 subspecies

chrysophrys (P. L. Sclater & Salvin, 1875) - Andes of Trujillo, Mérida and N Táchira, in W Venezuela.
superciliaris (Lafresnaye, 1840) - E Andes of Colombia (W slope in Santander, E slope in Boyacá, and both slopes in Cundinamarca).
nigrifrons (Lawrence, 1875) - C Andes in Colombia (from Antioquia S on both slopes through Cauca and Nariño) and Ecuador (S on W slope to Azuay and on E slope to Morona-Santiago).
maculifrons J. T. Zimmer, 1947 - W slope in S Ecuador (El Oro) S to N Peru (Cajamarca).
insignis J. T. Zimmer, 1947 - E slope of Andes in Peru (from Amazonas S to Junín).
leucogastrus (Taczanowski, 1874) - E slope of Andes in Junín (Peru).
urubambae J. T. Zimmer, 1947 - E slope of Andes in Peru (S from Cuzco) S to C Bolivia (Cochabamba).