Cacholote should not be confused with Cachalote.
The cacholotes are four species of relatively large, heavy-billed furnariids in the genus Pseudoseisura. They are found in shrubby habitats in the South American countries of Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. They are essentially brown (ranging from deep rufous to pale gray-brown depending on species), and all are crested to some extent.
The genus Pseudoseisura was introduced in 1853 by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach to accommodate the white-throated cacholote.[1] [2] The name combines the Ancient Greek pseudos meaning "false" and seisoura, a bird mentioned by the Greek lexicologist Hesychius of Alexandria and believed to be a wagtail Motacilla.[3]
The genus contains four extant species:[4]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pseudoseisura cristata | Caatinga cacholote | Caatinga in north-eastern Brazil. | |
| Pseudoseisura unirufa | Grey-crested cacholote | Pantanal-region in Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia | |
| Pseudoseisura lophotes | Brown cacholote | northern Argentina, western Paraguay and Uruguay; also in southeastern Bolivia and Rio Grande do Sul | |
| Pseudoseisura gutturalis | White-throated cacholote | Argentina (Patagonia and the northwest). | |
The allopatric Caatinga and gray-crested cacholotes were formerly considered conspecific under the name rufous cacholote (Pseudoseisura cristata).[5]
Fossil species: