Forms a species group, and has commonly been treated as conspecific, with Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babbler (Erythrogenys erythrogenys), Spot-breasted Scimitar-babbler (Erythrogenys mcclellandi), Spot-breasted Scimitar-Babbler (Erythrogenys erythrocnemis) and Grey-sided Scimitar-babbler (Erythrogenys swinhoei), all having similar plumage. In China, proposed subspecies sowerbyi (known only from type locality, 12 miles [c. 19 km ] south of "Fushih", in northern Shaanxi) treated as synonym of nominate and stoneae (from extreme north-western Yunnan) merged with dedekensi.
The following 6 subspecies are recognised:
gravivox (David, 1873) - North-central China (southern Gansu east to southern Shanxi, south to northern and north-eastern Sichuan, western Henan and north-western Hubei).
cowensae Deignan, 1952 - South-central China (central and south-eastern Sichuan, south-western Hubei).
dedekensi Oustalet, 1892 - Southern China (south-eastern Xizang, western Sichuan, extreme north-western Yunnan).
decarlei Deignan, 1952 - Southern China (north-western Yunnan and immediately adjacent parts of south-western Sichuan and extreme south-eastern Xizang).
odicus Bangs & Phillips, JC, 1914 - North-eastern and extreme eastern Myanmar, southern China (Yunnan except north-west, and south-western Guizhou), northern Laos and northern Vietnam (Tonkin).
sowerbyi Deignan, 1952 - Central China (central Shaanxi).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet