The black-masked finch was
formally described in 1822 by the Dutch zoologist
Coenraad Jacob Temminck under the
binomial name Emberizoides melanotis. This species is now placed in the genus
Coryphaspiza that was introduced by
George Robert Gray in 1840. The
type locality is
São Paulo, Brazil. The genus name combines the
Ancient Greek koruphē meaning "crown of the head" with
spiza meaning "finch". The specific epithet
melanotis combines the Ancient Greek
melas meaning "black" with -
ōtis meaning "-eared". This species was traditionally placed with the buntings and New World sparrows in the subfamily Emberizinae within the family
Emberizidae. Two
subspecies are recognised: •
C. m. marajoara Sick, 1967 –
Marajó Island (off northeast Brazil) •
C. m. melanotis (Temminck, 1822) – southeast Peru and east Bolivia to east, southeast Brazil, Paraguay and northeast Argentina ==References==