Gilliard's honeyeater | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Meliphagidae |
Genus: | Vosea Gilliard, 1960 |
Species: | V. whitemanensis |
Binomial name | |
Vosea whitemanensis Gilliard, 1960 | |
Synonyms | |
Melidectes whitemanensis |
Gilliard's honeyeater (Vosea whitemanensis) or the Bismarck honeyeater, is a bird species in the family Meliphagidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Vosea. It is endemic to New Britain. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Gilliard's honeyeater was described by the American ornithologist Thomas Gilliard in 1960 from specimens collected in the Whiteman Mountains on the island of New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago. Gilliard introduced the genus Vosea and coined the binomial name Vosea whitemanensis. The genus name Vosea was chosen to honour the memory of Charles R. Vose (1890–1957), a US businessman, explorer and sponsor. The specific epithet whitemanensis is from the type locality. [2] [3] The species was formerly placed in the genus Melidectes but was transferred to its own genus Vosea based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2019. [4] [5] The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. [5]
Formerly classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN, [6] it was suspected to be rarer than generally assumed. Following the evaluation of its population size, this was found to be correct, and it is consequently uplisted to near threatened status in 2008. [7]
The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family, Meliphagidae, of small to medium-sized birds. The family includes the Australian chats, myzomelas, friarbirds, wattlebirds, miners and melidectes. They are most common in Australia and New Guinea, and found also in New Zealand, the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga, and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as Wallacea. Bali, on the other side of the Wallace Line, has a single species.
Anthochaera is a genus of birds in the honeyeater family. The species are endemic to Australia and include the little wattlebird, the red wattlebird, the western wattlebird, and the yellow wattlebird. A molecular phylogenetic study has shown that the regent honeyeater also belongs in this genus.
The Polynesian wattled honeyeater or the eastern wattled honeyeater, is a species of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. It was considered conspecific with the Fiji wattled honeyeater and the kikau.
The yellow honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to Australia.
The fuscous honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to eastern Australia, where it inhabits subtropical and tropical dry forests.
The Eungella honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae and is endemic to Australia.
The obscure honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is found in New Guinea.
Belford's melidectes, also known as Belford's honeyeater, is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is found in the New Guinea Highlands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
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The Huon melidectes or Huon honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The sooty honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is found in the New Guinea Highlands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The short-bearded honeyeater is a species of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. It is found mainly in West Papua. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
The long-bearded honeyeater, is a bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae.
Meliphaga is a genus of birds in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae.
Xanthotis is a genus of birds in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae.
The Kadavu honeyeater is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Meliphacator. It is endemic to the islands of Kadavu in Fiji. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and tropical mangrove forests.
The duetting giant honeyeater, formerly known as the giant honeyeater, is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to Fiji.
Microptilotis is a genus of birds in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae.
Melionyx is a genus of bird in the family Meliphagidae.