Recent molecular-genetic studies suggest that this genus and Nesospingus, Chlorospingus and Phaenicophilus form a monophyletic clade that is sister to several New World warbler (Parulidae) genera (including Dendroica, Basileuterus and Vermivora), and are not closely related to other genera of present family. Forms a superspecies with Jamaican Spindalis (Spindalis nigricephala), Hispaniolan Spindalis (Spindalis dominicensis) and Puerto Rican Spindalis (Spindalis portoricensis) and all were formerly treated as conspecific, but differ in morphology, plumage and vocalizations, and are geographically isolated from one another. Moreover, subspecies of present species originally suggested as representing four distinct species, nominate and townsendi forming one species and pretrei, salvini and benedicti a further three. Additional studies may lead to changes in the present taxonomic arrangement.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
townsendi Ridgway, 1887 - Northern Bahamas (including Grand Bahama, Little Abaco, Abaco and offshore cays).
zena (Linnaeus, 1766) - Central and southern Bahamas (including Berry Is, Andros, Green Cay, New Providence, Eleuthera, Cat I, Exuma, Long I, Acklin and Mayaguana).
pretrei (Lesson, R, 1831) - Cuba and I of Pines.
salvini Cory, 1886 - Grand Cayman I.
benedicti Ridgway, 1885 - Cozumel I, off north-eastern Yucatán Peninsula.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet