Subgenus Lophophanes, type species Parus cristatus L., 1758

(Crested Tits)

The kinship relation between the relatively long­tailed Crested Tit ( P. cristatus) and the Grey­crested Tit ( P. dichrous) can in my view be best expressed by the superspecies (see Haffer, in: Glutz v. Blotzheim & Bauer 1993, 13: 365). The two share more characteristics than would be expected, given the obvious difference in coloration. In Martens’ judgment (Löhrl 1991: 11) the sonagram reveals a close similarity of the vocalizations of the two species, but cf. Diesselhorst (1968: 347). Both species are “red”­eyed.