Typical Antbirds (Thamnophilidae)
Variable Antshrike (Thamnophilus caerulescens) - HBW 8, p. 561
French: Batara bleuâtre
German: Südlicher Tropfenameisenwürger
Spanish: Batará Variable
Taxonomy: Thamnophilus cærulescens Vieillot, 1816, Paraguay.
Relationships uncertain; has been treated as forming a superspecies with T. amazonicus, but such a relationship considered unlikely. Complex plumage variation and unusual geographical distribution suggest that this species is a prime candidate for systematic study. Other described races seem indistinguishable or have plumage differences that appear to be clinal; thus, subandinus (N Peru) synonymized with melanochrous, connectens (EC Bolivia) with dinellii, albonotatus (EC Brazil) with nominate, and pernambucensis (NE Brazil) with cearensis.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Thamnophilus cærulescens Vieillot, 1816, Paraguay.
Relationships uncertain; has been treated as forming a superspecies with T. amazonicus, but such a relationship considered unlikely. Complex plumage variation and unusual geographical distribution suggest that this species is a prime candidate for systematic study. Other described races seem indistinguishable or have plumage differences that appear to be clinal; thus, subandinus (N Peru) synonymized with melanochrous, connectens (EC Bolivia) with dinellii, albonotatus (EC Brazil) with nominate, and pernambucensis (NE Brazil) with cearensis. Documentation needed in order to establish whether any parapatry without intergradation exists among races listed below. Eight subspecies recognized.
Relationships uncertain; has been treated as forming a superspecies with T. amazonicus, but such a relationship considered unlikely. Complex plumage variation and unusual geographical distribution suggest that this species is a prime candidate for systematic study. Other described races seem indistinguishable or have plumage differences that appear to be clinal; thus, subandinus (N Peru) synonymized with melanochrous, connectens (EC Bolivia) with dinellii, albonotatus (EC Brazil) with nominate, and pernambucensis (NE Brazil) with cearensis. Documentation needed in order to establish whether any parapatry without intergradation exists among races listed below. Eight subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- melanochrous P. L. Sclater & Salvin, 1876 - E slope of Andes in Peru (from Amazonas S of R Marañón S to N Puno).
- aspersiventer d’Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837 - SE Peru (SE Puno) and WC Bolivia (N slope in La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz).
- dinellii Berlepsch, 1906 - EC & S Bolivia on S & E Andean slopes (Santa Cruz S to Tarija), and NW Argentina (E slope from Jujuy S to La Rioja and, at lower elevations, E to Formosa and S to N Córdoba and Santa Fe).
- melanochrous P. L. Sclater & Salvin, 1876 - E slope of Andes in Peru (from Amazonas S of R Marañón S to N Puno).
- aspersiventer d’Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837 - SE Peru (SE Puno) and WC Bolivia (N slope in La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz).
- dinellii Berlepsch, 1906 - EC & S Bolivia on S & E Andean slopes (Santa Cruz S to Tarija), and NW Argentina (E slope from Jujuy S to La Rioja and, at lower elevations, E to Formosa and S to N Córdoba and Santa Fe).
- paraguayensis Hellmayr, 1904 - SE Bolivia (lowlands of Santa Cruz), NW & NC Paraguay (W of R Paraguay and, to E, in Concepción, Amambay and San Pedro) and S Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul).
- gilvigaster Pelzeln, 1868 - NE Argentina (E of R Paraná except Misiones), extreme SE Brazil (E Paraná and SE São Paulo S to Rio Grande do Sul) and Uruguay.
- caerulescens Vieillot, 1816 - SE Paraguay (E of R Paraguay except Concepción, Amambay and San Pedro), extreme N Argentina (Misiones), and N part of SE Brazil (Minas Gerais and SE Bahia S to W Paraná, W & NE São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro).
- ochraceiventer Snethlage, 1928 - EC Brazil (S Tocantins, Goiás, Distríto Federal, SC Bahia).
- cearensis (Cory, 1919) - NE Brazil (Ceará, Pernambuco, Alagoas).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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brief slow motioned view Locality Tres Picos State Park, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil (ssp caerulescens)
Juan Sanabria 1 November 2011 4 weeks ago ADDED LAST MONTH 17 sec 3.8 -
A male searching in dead vegetation Locality Machu Picchu, Cusco Department, Peru (ssp melanochrous)
Josep del Hoyo 26 July 2005 6 years ago 23 sec 3.7 -
A male in the rain, calling softly and moving on branches. Locality Serra de Baturité, Ceará State, Brazil (ssp cearensis)
Josep del Hoyo 2 October 2008 2 years ago 31 sec 3.5 -
A male moving on a bush Locality Theodoro Trail, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil (ssp caerulescens)
Keith Blomerley 10 September 2005 4 years ago 10 sec 3.3 -
Two slow motion views of a perched male Locality Tambo Area, Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia (ssp dinellii)
Frank Witebsky 2004 4 years ago 9 sec 3.1 -
A female moving among branches Locality Itatiaia National Park, Brazil (ssp caerulescens)
Josep del Hoyo 3 July 2004 5 years ago 9 sec 3.1
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A female put in a branch
Locality El Palmar National Park, Entre Ríos Province, Argentina (ssp gilvigaster)
Horacio Luna 17 June 2010 1 year ago 4.4 -
mist-netted male in hand
Locality Lomas de Olmedo, Salta Province, Argentina
handford 16 August 2004 2 years ago 4 -
Escobar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Locality Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
Silvia Vitale 10 September 2010 35 weeks ago 3.7 -
A male perched
Locality Itatiaia National Park, Brazil
Chris and Megan Perkins 21 November 2010 1 year ago 3.6 -
Female foraging in tree, ventral aspect
Locality Caraça Monastery, Caraça National Park, Minas Gerais State, Brazil
Ian Barker 17 June 2010 1 year ago 3.4 -
A male on a branch.
Locality Serra de Baturité, Ceará State, Brazil (ssp cearensis)
Nick Athanas 6 January 2006 3 years ago 3.3
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Loudsong Locality Formosa Province, Argentina
Nacho Areta 2 years ago 3
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