Substantial plumage differences between both taxa led to the IUCN and Clements Checklist splitting both, with the International Ornithological Congress also making this change in 2023.

[2] A pheasant of uncertain taxonomic provenance, popularly referred to as "Delacour's crested fireback" (formerly Lophura ignita macartneyi) is found in south-eastern Sumatra and the male has white to the tail, whitish legs and a variable amount of rufous below.

As macartneyi specimens are variable, the Handbook of Birds of the World regards it as a hybrid between L. rufa and a possible relictual or introduced population of L.

[3] In 2023, the International Ornithological Congress officially recognized it as representing a hybrid swarm between L. ignita and L. rufa, and classified it within L.

[3] Due to ongoing habitat loss and overhunting in some areas, the Malayan crested fireback is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.