White-browed Purpletuft

About the White-browed Purpletuft

The white-browed purpletuft (Iodopleura isabellae) is a small species of bird in the family Tityridae, the tityras, becards, and allies. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. The white-browed purpletuft was originally described in 1847 as Iodopleurus isabellae. The genus' spelling was later changed to Iodopleura. Well into the twentieth century authors placed that genus in Cotingidae. Several early twenty-first century studies confirmed the placement of Iodopleura in Tityridae and taxonomic systems made the reassignment.

The white-browed purpletuft's further taxonomy is unsettled. The IOC, BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World, and AviList treat it as monotypic. As of late 2024 the Clements taxonomy assigned it two subspecies, the nominate I. i. isabellae and I. i. paraensis.

The white-browed purpletuft shares genus Iodopleura with the buff-throated purpletuft (I. pipra) and the dusky purpletuft (I. fusca). The white-browed and dusky purpletufts form a superspecies and might be conspecific. This article follows the monotypic species model.

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