Chlorospingus

Chlorospingus, the bush-tanagers, are a genus of perching birds traditionally placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae). This seems in error according to more recent studies, which suggest that they are closely related to the genus Arremonops in the Emberizidae (buntings and American sparrows). Considering this, bush-tanager is arguably better replaced by chlorospingus, but this has yet to be proposed.

It contains the following species:

• Common Bush-tanager or Brown-headed Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus ophthalmicus
  • Dusky-headed Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus (ophthalmicus) postocularis
  • White-fronted Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus (ophthalmicus) albifrons
  • Dwight's Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus (ophthalmicus) dwighti
  • Wetmore's Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus (ophthalmicus) wetmorei
• Tacarcuna Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus tacarcunae
• Pirre Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus inornatus
• Dusky Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus semifuscus
• Sooty-capped Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus pileatus
• Yellow-whiskered Bush-tanager or Short-billed Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus parvirostris
• Yellow-throated Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus flavigularis
• Yellow-green Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus flavovirens
• Ashy-throated Bush-tanager, Chlorospingus canigularis

The taxonomy and systematics of the "Common Bush-tanager" are under review; it appears to be a superspecies or even a complex of superspecies.^[1]

Footnotes

1. ^ Peterson et al. (1992), García-Moreno et al. (2004), Sánchez-González et al. (2007)

References

• García-Moreno, Jaime; Navarro-Sigüenza, Adolfo G.; Peterson, A. Townsend & Sánchez-González, Luis A. (2004): Genetic variation coincides with geographic structure in the common bush-tanager (Chlorospingus ophthalmicus) complex from Mexico. Mol. Phyl. Evol. 33(1): 186–196. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2004.05.007 PDF fulltext
• Peterson, A. Townsend; Escalante P., Patricia & Navarro-Sigüenza, Adolfo G. (1992): Genetic variation and differentiation in Mexican populations of Common Bush-tanagers and Chestnut-capped Brush Finches. The Condor 94(1): 244–253. doi:10.2307/1368813 PDF fulltext
• Sánchez-González, Luis A.; Navarro-Sigüenza, Adolfo G.; Peterson, A. Townsend & García-Moreno, Jaime (2007): Taxonomy of Chlorospingus ophthalmicus in Mexico and northern Central America. Bull. B.O.C. 127(1): 34-49. PDF fulltext