Artemisiospiza, new genus

Type species. Emberiza belli Cassin.

Diagnosis. Similar to Amphispiza but wing shorter relative to the tarsus, and tail longer (Ridgway 1901:262). Molecular analysis also reveals differences in mitochondrial DNA sequences.

Etymology. The feminine name combines the Latin generic name for sagebrush ( Artemisia, from the Greek word Artemis) with the Greek word for finch (spiza).

Included taxa. I n addition to the type species, this genus includes the species nevadensis (Ridgway), which Rising (1996) recognized as distinct and Cicero (2010:113) has also recently suggested deserves specific status. The species belli includes the subspecies cinerea (Townsend), clementae (Ridgway) and canescens (Grinnell), fide Cicero (2010).