Driophlox is a genus of passerine birds in the family Cardinalidae. The four species placed in this genus were formerly placed with the red-crowned ant tanager in the genus Habia.

Driophlox
Sooty ant tanager (Driophlox fuscicauda)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cardinalidae
Genus: Driophlox
Scott, BF, Chesser, Unitt & Burns, KJ, 2024
Type species
Phoenicothraupis gutturalis
Sooty ant tanager

Taxonomy

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The species now placed in this genus were formerly placed with the red-crowned ant tanager in the genus Habia. Molecular phylogenetic analysis found that the genus Habia was paraphyletic.[1][2] To resolve the paraphyly, four species were moved from Habia to a new genus Driophlox that was erected with Phoenicothraupis gutturalis Sclater, PL, 1854, (the sooty ant tanager) as the type species.[3][4] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek δριος/drios meaning "thicket" or "copse" with φλοξ/phlox, φλογος/phlogos meaning "flame".[5]

The genus contains four species:[4]

Genus Driophlox Scott, BF, Chesser, Unitt & Burns, KJ, 2024 – four species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Red-throated ant tanager

 
Male
 
Female

Driophlox fuscicauda
(Cabanis, 1861)

Six subspecies
eastern Mexico to northern Colombia
 
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Black-cheeked ant tanager

 

Driophlox atrimaxillaris
(Dwight & Griscom, 1924)
Costa Rica
 
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 NT 


Sooty ant tanager

 
Male

Driophlox gutturalis
(Sclater, PL, 1854)
Colombia
 
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Crested ant tanager

 

Driophlox cristata
(Lawrence, 1875)
Colombia
 
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 




References

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  1. ^ Barker, F.K.; Burns, K.J.; Klicka, J.; Lanyon, S.M.; Lovette, I.J. (2015). "New insights into New World biogeography: An integrated view from the phylogeny of blackbirds, cardinals, sparrows, tanagers, warblers, and allies". The Auk. 132 (2): 333–348. doi:10.1642/AUK-14-110.1.
  2. ^ Scott, B.F. (2022). Phylogenetics of Cardinalidae and the impact of habitat, climate, and ecology on the evolution of color (MSc thesis). San Diego State University.
  3. ^ Scott, B.F.; Chesser, R.T.; Unitt, P.; Burns, K.J. (2024). "Driophlox, a new genus of cardinalid (Aves: Passeriformes: Cardinalidae)". Zootaxa. 5406 (3): 497–500. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5406.3.11.
  4. ^ a b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2024). "Cardinals, grosbeaks and 'tanager' allies". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  5. ^ Jobling, James A. "Driophlox". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 24 October 2024.