The
gnateaters are a
bird family,
Conopophagidae, consisting of ten small
passerine species in two
genera, which occur in
South and
Central America. The family was formerly restricted to the gnateater genus
Conopophaga; analysis of
mtDNA cytochrome b and
NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2
sequences (Rice 2005a,b) indicates that the "antpittas" of the genus
Pittasoma also belong in this family. The association between this genus and
Conopophaga is also supported by traits in their natural history,
morphology, and vocalizations (Rice, 2005a). The members of this family are very closely related to the
antbirds and less closely to the
antpittas and
tapaculos. Due to their remote and dim habitat, gnateaters are a little-studied and poorly known family of birds, though they are often sought after by
birdwatchers.