Malurus

Last updated

Malurus
Superb blue Wren1.jpg
Male superb fairywren
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Maluridae
Genus: Malurus
Vieillot, 1816
Type species
Motacilla cyanea [1]
Ellis, 1782
Synonyms
  • Musciparus

Malurus is a genus of passerine birds in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae.

Contents

Taxonomy

The genus Malurus was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Vieillot to accommodate a single species, Motacilla cyanea Latham, the superb fairywren. This is the type species. [2] [3] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek μαλος/malos meaning "soft" or "delicate" with ουρα/oura meaning "tail". [4]

Species

The genus contains 12 species: [5]

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Emperor Fairywren male 0A2A1576.jpg Malurus cyanocephalus Emperor fairywren New Guinea
Lovely fairywren portland08.JPG Malurus amabilis Lovely fairywren North-eastern Australia
Variegated fairy wren.jpg Malurus assimilis Purple-backed fairywren Central and Western Australia
Variegated Fairy-wren male.jpg Malurus lamberti Variegated fairywren Eastern Australia
Blue-breasted Fairy-wren (Malurus pulcherrimus) of Kings Park, Perth Western Australia.jpg Malurus pulcherrimus Blue-breasted fairywren Southern Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia
Red winged wren MR walk 3 email.jpg Malurus elegans Red-winged fairywren South-western corner of Western Australia
Superb wren.jpg Malurus cyaneus Superb fairywren Australia and lowland New Guinea
Splendid fairywren male cunnamulla.JPG Malurus splendens Splendid fairywren Central and Western Australia
PCFW nb.jpg Malurus coronatus Purple-crowned fairywren Northern Australia
Malurus alboscapulatus 456995085.jpg Malurus alboscapulatus White-shouldered fairywren New Guinea
Red-backed Fairy-wren.jpg Malurus melanocephalus Red-backed fairywren Australia
White-winged fairywren.jpg Malurus leucopterus White-winged fairywren Central Queensland and South Australia across to Western Australia

Former species

Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize several additional species as belonging to the genus Malurus including:

References

  1. "Maluridae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  2. Vieillot, Louis Pierre (1816). Analyse d'une Nouvelle Ornithologie Élémentaire (in French). Paris: Deterville/self. p. 44.
  3. Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1986). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 11. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 391.
  4. Jobling, James A. "Malurus". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  5. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (February 2025). "Lyrebirds, scrubbirds, bowerbirds, Australasian treecreepers, Australasian wrens". IOC World Bird List Version 15.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  6. "Sipodotus wallacii (Wallace's Fairywren) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  7. "Chenorhamphus grayi (Broad-billed Fairywren) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  8. "Chenorhamphus campbelli (Campbell's Fairywren) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-11-15.