The white-throated greenbul was formally described and illustrated in 1882 by the English ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe based on a specimen collected in the Fantee region of central Ghana. He coined the binomial nameXenocichla albigularis.[2][3] It is now one of 21 species placed in the genus Phyllastrephus that was introduced in 1832 by the English naturalist William John Swainson.[4] The genus name combines Ancient Greek φυλλον/phullon meaning "leaf" with στρεφω/strephō meaning "to toss" or "to turn".[5] The specific epithet albigularis combines Latinalbus meaning "white" with Modern Latingularis meaning "throated".[6] The Angola greenbul was formally considered to be a subspecies. The white-throated greenbul is now monophyletic: no subspecies are recognised.[4]
^ abGill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Bulbuls". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
^Jobling, James A. "Phyllastrephus". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
^Jobling, James A. "albigularis". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 7 September 2024.