NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Masked Cardinal
Paroaria nigrogenis (Lafresnaye, 1846)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The masked cardinal (Paroaria nigrogenis) is a bird species in the tanager family (Thraupidae). It is not very closely related to the cardinals proper (Cardinalidae).
It is found in Trinidad, far north-eastern Colombia, and northern Venezuela. It was previously considered conspecific with the red-capped cardinal (Paroaria gularis), from which it differs by the black ear-coverts and the red (not black) lower throat and upper chest. Additionally, its lower mandible is typically whitish, but this is not entirely consistent, as it occasionally is pale flesh-coloured. This distinctive taxon is a distinct species, as suggested by the lack of hybridization with P. g. gularis in the limited area of overlap in southern Venezuela. The common name masked cardinal was suggested.
Wikipedia contributors, Masked cardinal; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T04:45:40.555276+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Paroaria nigrogenis (Lafresnaye, 1846)
- Name authority
- (Lafresnaye, 1846)
- Common name
- Masked Cardinal
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Paroaria
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderPasseriformes
- familyThraupidae
- genusParoaria Bonaparte, 1832
- speciesParoaria nigrogenis (Lafresnaye, 1846)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Paroaria. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-crested CardinalParoaria coronata (J. F. Miller, 1776) | ThraupidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Red-capped CardinalParoaria gularis (Linnaeus, 1766) | ThraupidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Crimson-fronted CardinalParoaria baeri Hellmayr, 1907 | ThraupidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Yellow-billed CardinalParoaria capitata (d'Orbigny & Lafresnaye, 1837) | ThraupidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Red-cowled CardinalParoaria dominicana (Linnaeus, 1758) | ThraupidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Paroaria gularis nigrogenis (Lafresnaye, 1846) (Lafresnaye, 1846) | synonym |
| Nemosia nigrogenis Lafresnaye, 1846 Lafresnaye, 1846 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
South America
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=997755 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4DQDL. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.