Melaenornis | |
---|---|
Southern black flycatcher (Melaenornis pammelaina) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Muscicapidae |
Tribe: | Muscicapini |
Genus: | Melaenornis G.R. Gray, 1840 |
Type species | |
Melasoma edolioides [1] Swainson, 1937 | |
Species | |
see text |
Melaenornis is a genus of small passerine birds in the large family Muscicapidae commonly known as the Old World flycatchers. They are restricted to sub-Saharan Africa.
The genus Melaenornis was introduced in 1840 by the English zoologist George Gray. It was a replacement name for Melasoma that had been introduced in 1837 by William Swainson with the northern black flycatcher as the type species. [2] Melasoma was pre-occupied by "Melasoma Dillwyn" that had been introduced in 1831 by James Stephens for a genus of insects. [3] [4] The name Melaenornis combines the Ancient Greek melas, melaina meaning "black" with ornis meaning "bird". [5]
The genus contains the following seven species: [6]
This genus formerly included fewer species. The results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 led to a reorganization of the Old World flycatchers family in which the four species in Bradornis and the single species in Sigelus were merged into Melaenornis. [6] [7] The genus formerly included the pale flycatcher and the chat flycatcher. Based on a phylogenetic study published in 2023, they were moved to the resurrected genus Agricola . [8] [6]
The Old World flycatchers are a large family, the Muscicapidae, of small passerine birds restricted to the Old World, with the exception of several vagrants and two species, bluethroat and northern wheatear, found also in North America. These are mainly small arboreal insectivores, many of which, as the name implies, take their prey on the wing. The family is relatively large and includes 351 species which are divided into 54 genera.
The forktails are small insectivorous birds in the genus Enicurus. They were formerly placed in the thrush family, Turdidae, but are now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. Their common name derives from their long forked tail.
Brachypteryx is a genus of passerine birds in the family Muscicapidae containing ten species known as shortwings, that occurs in southeast Asia.
The mountain wheatear or mountain chat is a small insectivorous passerine bird that is endemic to southwestern Africa.
Bradornis is a genus of small passerine birds in the large family Muscicapidae commonly known as the Old World flycatchers. They are restricted to sub-Saharan Africa.
The chat flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that is native to southern Africa.
The Marico flycatcher or Mariqua flycatcher is a passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that is found in areas of southern Africa.
The African grey flycatcher, grayish flycatcher, or large flycatcher is a passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that occurs in parts of East Africa.
The pale flycatcher is a passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The mountain robin-chat is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae.
The white-bellied robin-chat is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in western Cameroon, Bioko and the Albertine Rift montane forests. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The Abyssinian slaty flycatcher, also known as Abyssinian flycatcher, Abyssinian black flycatcher or Abyssinian chocolate flycatcher, is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae, the Old World flycatchers. It is often placed in the genus Dioptrornis. It is native to Africa, where it occurs in Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Fraseria is a genus of passerine birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that are found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Phoenicurus is a genus of passerine birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, native to Europe, Asia and Africa. They are named redstarts from their orange-red tails. They are small insectivores, the males mostly brightly coloured in various combinations of red, blue, white, and black, the females light brown with a red tail. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 led to a reorganization of the Old World flycatchers family in which the two species in Rhyacornis and the single species in Chaimarrornis were merged into Phoenicurus.
The slaty-backed jungle flycatcher is a species of birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. The specific epithet honours the British zoological collector Walter Goodfellow. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.
Tarsiger is a genus of six species of birds in the family Muscicapidae. They are small, mostly brightly coloured insectivorous birds native to Asia and northeastern Europe; four of the six species are confined to the Sino-Himalayan mountain system. The genus has sometimes been included within the related genus Luscinia, but the species have been found to form a distinct monophyletic group.
Calliope is a genus of passerine birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae.
Vauriella is a genus of birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that occur in Borneo and the Philippines.
The Dessonornis is a genus of birds in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that are found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Agricola is a genus of small passerine birds in the large family Muscicapidae commonly known as the Old World flycatchers. They are restricted to sub-Saharan Africa.