The White-rumped Snowfinch Montifringilla taczanowskii was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Onychostruthus Richmond, 1917 (e.g., Mayr 1927) as Onychostruthus taczanowskii, and this treatment, which receives support from phylogenetic analyses (Qu et al. 2006, Gebauer et al. 2006), and is adopted here, and now aligns with Gill and Wright (2006, IOC v.1.0).
Phylogenetic analyses (Qu et al. 2006, Gebauer et al. 2006) provide some support for the recognition of the genus Pyrgilauda Bonaparte, 1850. Pere David’s Snowfinch Montifringilla davidiana now becomes Pyrgilauda davidiana; Rufous-necked Snowfinch Montifringilla ruficollis becomes Pyrgilauda ruficollis; Blanford’s Snowfinch Montifringilla blanfordi becomes Pyrgilauda blanfordi; and Afghan Snowfinch Montifringilla theresae becomes Pyrgilauda theresae; this treatment now aligns with Gill and Wright (2006, IOC v.1.0).