Great Antshrike (Taraba major) [XC272179]
by Peter Boesman from Mozeskreek area, W Suriname, Suriname (song)
Great Antshrike (Taraba major) [XC251600]
by John V. Moore from Zamora-Chinchipe: between Chito and Laurel, Ecuador (song)
Subspecies
Relationships uncertain. Relationship to the Thamnophilus doliatus complex suggested by vocalizations and by barred plumage of juvenile. Two main plumage types, one northern and west of Andes (subspecies melanocrissus, obscurus, transandeanus, granadensis), the other east of Andes (remaining subspecies). The two populations may merit separate species status if apparent parapatry in Venezuela (Miranda) and possibly significant vocal differences are substantiated. Otherwise, plumage differences in populations of Central America and the Pacific slope appear to be clinal, and recognition of geographical subspecies possibly not warranted. Further study is required. Plumage and vocal differences of subspecies east of Andes more substantial, but careful analysis required to determine extent of intergradation and constancy of characters.
The following 10 subspecies are recognised:
melanocrissus (Sclater, PL, 1860) - Caribbean slope from eastern Mexico (eastern San Luis Potosí south to northern Oaxaca, Tabasco and northern Chiapas) south to western Panama (Bocas del Toro, in Almirante Bay region).
obscurus Zimmer, JT, 1933 - Western Costa Rica (Pacific slope), Panama (except Almirante Bay region) and western Colombia (middle Cauca Valley, and Pacific slope except extreme south-west).
transandeanus (Sclater, PL, 1855) - Pacific slope of extreme south-western Colombia (Nariño), western Ecuador, and extreme north-western Peru (Tumbes).
granadensis (Cabanis, 1872) - Northern and central Colombia (Caribbean slope from Magdalena south to Córdoba, southern in Magdalena Valley to Tolima, and base of eastern Andes in Arauca, Casanare, Boyacá and Meta) and north-western Venezuela (Zulia and Táchira east to western Miranda).
semifasciatus (Cabanis, 1872) - Extreme eastern Colombia (Vichada), and north-eastern and southern Venezuela (eastern Miranda east to Paria Peninsula, and south of R Orinoco), Trinidad, the Guianas, and north-eastern and south-central Amazonian Brazil (south to R Negro and R Amazon and, south of R Amazon, from extreme eastern Amazonas east to western Maranhío and south to northern Mato Grosso and north-western Goiás).
duidae Chapman, 1929 - Mt Duida, in Amazonas, southern Venezuela.
melanurus (Sclater, PL, 1855) - South-eastern Colombia (Caquetá, Putumayo, Amazonas), eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru and south-western Amazonian Brazil (south of R Amazon in western Amazonas and Acre east to middle R Purus and northern bank of R Abuní).
borbae (Pelzeln, 1868) - South-central Amazonian Brazil (eastern Amazonas along lower R Purus and R Madeira, and extreme northern Rondônia).
stagurus (Lichtenstein, MHK, 1823) - Eastern and north-eastern Brazil (eastern Maranhío east to Pernambuco and south to eastern Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo).
major (Vieillot, 1816) - Northern and eastern Bolivia, south-central Brazil (southern Mato Grosso, southern Goiás, western Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul and western Sío Paulo), western Paraguay (east to both banks of R Paraguay) and northern Argentina (south to Córdoba and northern Buenos Aires).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet