Merida Tapaculo (Scytalopus meridanus) [XC229549]
by Joe Klaiber from Yacambu NP, Lara, Venezuela (song, song 1)
Merida Tapaculo (Scytalopus meridanus) [XC254176]
by Joe Klaiber from Azulita area Merida, Venezuela (song)
Subspecies
Scytalopus latebricola (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Brown-rumped Tapaculo (Scytalopus latebricola), Caracas Tapaculo (Scytalopus caracae), Merida Tapaculo (Scytalopus meridanus) and Spillmann's Tapaculo (Scytalopus spillmanni) following SACC (2005). Lara Tapaculo (Scytalopus fuscicauda) was split from Magellanic Tapaculo (Scytalopus magellanicus) by SACC (2005), but this treatment was not followed by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group and this taxon has now been lumped with Merida Tapaculo (Scytalopus meridanus) following SACC (2009).
Previously considered conspecific with Brown-rumped Tapaculo (Scytalopus latebricola), but differs vocally. Research required on relationship with Lara Tapaculo (Scytalopus fuscicauda), which may be conspecific, or even a synonym of present species. Affinities of birds in adjacent Colombia uncertain: those from Páramo de Tamá may belong to present species or to subspecies infasciatus of Pale-bellied Tapaculo (Scytalopus griseicollis), to which records from eastern Andes presumed also to pertain. Further, specimens from central Andes previously attributed to present species, are as yet not safely referable to any taxon, but some may represent Spillmann's Tapaculo (Scytalopus spillmanni) and others perhaps an as yet undescribed species.
fuscicauda Hellmayr, 1922 - Andes of Venezuela (southern Lara and Trujillo). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Lara Tapaculo (Scytalopus fuscicauda).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet