During the latter dispersal period, the true rufifrons group further evolved into five geographically distinct subgroups:
- The typical group ranging over eastern Australia, the Louisiade Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, and the Marianas. The Batjan Island form, torrida, should probably be included in this group, but its resemblance to the eastern Australian form may be due to convergence.
- The eastern group in the Santa Cruz Islands and Ponape.
- The Manus Island form, semirubra, to the northwest of the typical group, should also be put in a group by itself because of its aberrant coloration and tail shape.
- An earlier western group, which reached the islands off the south coast of Celebes, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Tenimber, western Australia, and southern New Guinea near the mouth of the Mimika River.
- A somewhat later western group, consisting of the two forms henrici and squamata on Misol, Batanta, Waigeu, and the Kei Islands which are probably most closely related to the eastern Australian form rufifrons and to torrida.