Typical Antbirds (Thamnophilidae)

White-shouldered Antbird (Myrmeciza melanoceps) - HBW 8, p. 663

French: Alapi à épaules blanches German: Weißschulter-Ameisenvogel Spanish: Hormiguero Hombroblanco

Taxonomy: Thamnophilus melanoceps Spix, 1825, “in Sylvis Parae”; error = Rio Içá, Amazonas, Brazil.
Genus appears not to represent a monophyletic grouping, but traditional arrangement maintained pending further phylogenetic study. Considered closely related to M. goeldii, with similarities in morphology and voice, but differences in location of hidden white patches and possibly in nest architecture may indicate more distant relationship; the two appear to be sympatric in Brazil along upper R Juruá (Acre). Both species and M. hyperythra, M. fortis and M. immaculata often thought to form a species group on basis of large size, but more work needed in order to conf.. View all taxonomy...

Distribution: SE Colombia (Meta, Caquetá, Putumayo, S Amazonas), E Ecuador, NE & EC Peru (Loreto, Amazonas, N Ucayali) and W Amazonian Brazil (E to R Japurá and to both banks of R Juruá).