Order
Passeriformes
Family
Thamnophilidae
Genus
Myrmotherula
 
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Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

SPECIES

Leaden Antwren Myrmotherula assimilis

Thomas S. Schulenberg and Gary H. Rosenberg
Version: 1.0 — Published June 30, 2011

Systematics

Geographic Variation

Two subspecies recognized:

assimilis Pelzeln 1869; type locality Borba; Pojares, Rio Negro, and Rio Amajau, Rio Negro.

The nominate subspecies occupies most of the range of the species.

transamazonica Gyldenstolpe 1951; type locality Urucurituba, Rio Amazon (opposite Santarém), Pará, Brazil

Found along the Amazon near the Rio Tapajos, Brazil. "Distinguished by its larger dimensions, the wings being particularly longer and the bill somewhat longer and heavier, as well as broader at the base ... The gray color of the dorsal parts is lighter than that of the nominate form. The females have also a distinct white, concealed white interscapular patch, and the dimensions also are larger than those of M. a. assimilis" (Gyldenstlope 1951: 198).

Subspecies

Related Species

The phylogenetic relationships of Myrmotherula assimilis to other species are poorly known. Implicitly classified as related to other "gray antwrens" in Myrmotherula. Limited genetic evidence (from protein electrophoresis) indicates that assimilis is not a Myrmotherula at all, however, but instead is a member of a clade that also includes Thamnophilus (antshrikes), Dysithamnus (antvireos), and Herpsilochmus (antwrens) (Hackett and Rosenberg 1990).

Recommended Citation

Schulenberg, T. S. and G. H. Rosenberg (2011). Leaden Antwren (Myrmotherula assimilis), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.leaant1.01