The typical spinetails, Cranioleuca, are a genus of Neotropical birds in the ovenbird family Furnariidae.
This is a homogeneous group of small birds that live in forested habitats. The spinetails in this genus differ from those placed in Synallaxis in having shorter tails and being more arboreal. They are less vocal and more frequently join mixed flocks.
Taxonomy and species list
The genus Cranioleuca was introduced in 1853 by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach with the light-crowned spinetail as the type species. The name combines the Ancient Greek kranion meaning "skull" with leukos meaning "white".
The genus contains 20 species: Creamy-crested spinetail, Cranioleuca albicapilla Light-crowned spinetail, Cranioleuca albiceps Marcapata spinetail, Cranioleuca marcapatae Line-cheeked spinetail, Cranioleuca antisiensis Ash-browed spinetail, Cranioleuca curtata Streak-capped spinetail, Cranioleuca hellmayri Tepui spinetail, Cranioleuca demissa Pallid spinetail, Cranioleuca pallida Red-faced spinetail, Cranioleuca erythrops Grey-headed spinetail, Cranioleuca semicinerea Crested spinetail, Cranioleuca subcristata Olive spinetail, Cranioleuca obsoleta Stripe-crowned spinetail, Cranioleuca pyrrhophia Rusty-backed spinetail, Cranioleuca vulpina Coiba spinetail, Cranioleuca dissita Parker's spinetail or white-breasted spinetail, Cranioleuca vulpecula Speckled spinetail, Cranioleuca gutturata Scaled spinetail, Cranioleuca muelleri Bolivian spinetail, Cranioleuca henricae Vilcabamba spinetail, Cranioleuca weskei Russet-mantled softtail, Cranioleuca berlepschi