Tawny-throated Leaftosser (Sclerurus mexicanus) [XC213682]
by John van Dort from Parque Nacional La Muralla, Olancho, Honduras (call)
Tawny-throated Leaftosser (Sclerurus mexicanus) [XC334529]
by Richard E. Webster from Canada Honda, near El Triunfo, Chiapas, Mexico (song)
Subspecies
Plumage similarities have suggested to most authors that this and Short-billed Leaftosser (Sclerurus rufigularis) are sister-species. Apparent elevational parapatry in eastern Panama of lowland subspecies andinus and highland obscurior suggests that more than one species may be involved. Racial identity of birds from western slope of eastern Andes in Colombia uncertain and tentatively included with peruvianus but possibly belong with andinus.
Proposed subspecies certus (Guatemala) and anomalus (eastern Panama) are considered not diagnosable.
The following 7 subspecies are recognised:
mexicanus Sclater, 1857 - South-eastern Mexico (from Veracruz) south to northern Nicaragua.
pullus Bangs, 1902 - Highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama (east to Veraguas and Coclé).
andinus Chapman, 1914 - Lowlands of eastern Panama (Panamá east to Darién and San Blas), locally in northern Colombia (east to Perijá Mts), extreme north-western and southern Venezuela and western Guyana (tepui region).
obscurior Hartert, 1901 - Highlands of eastern Panama in Darién (Cerros Pirre, Tacarcuna and Malí), and western Andes from western Colombia south to south-western Ecuador (El Oro, western Loja).
peruvianus Chubb, 1919 - Western Amazonia locally from southern Colombia (base of eastern Andes on western slope in Santander, on eastern slope southern from western Meta) south to eastern Peru, western Brazil (Amazonas, Acre, northern Rondônia) and northern Bolivia (south to north-western Santa Cruz).
macconnelli Chubb, 1919 - The Guianas and northern Brazil (eastern from R Negro and, south of R Amazon from R Tapajós east to Maranhío and southern locally to northern Mato Grosso).
bahiae Chubb, 1919 - Coastal eastern Brazil (Alagoas south to north-eastern Sío Paulo).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet