Driophlox Explained

Driophlox is a genus of passerine birds in the family Cardinalidae. The four species placed in this genus were formerly placed with the red-crowned ant tanager in the genus Habia.

Taxonomy

The species now placed in this genus were formerly placed with the red-crowned ant tanager in the genus Habia. Molecular phylogenetic analysis found that the genus Habia was paraphyletic.^{[1] [2]} To resolve the paraphyly, four species were moved from Habia to a new genus Driophlox that was erected with Phoenicothraupis gutturalis Sclater, PL, 1854, (the sooty ant tanager) as the type species.^{[3] [4]} The genus name combines the Ancient Greek δριος/drios meaning "thicket" or "copse" with φλοξ/phlox, φλογος/phlogos meaning "flame".^[5]

The genus contains four species:^[4]

Notes and References

1. Barker . F.K. . Burns . K.J. . Klicka . J. . Lanyon . S.M. . Lovette . I.J. . 2015 . New insights into New World biogeography: An integrated view from the phylogeny of blackbirds, cardinals, sparrows, tanagers, warblers, and allies . The Auk . 132 . 2 . 333-348 . 10.1642/AUK-14-110.1 . free.
2. Scott . B.F. . 2022 . Phylogenetics of Cardinalidae and the impact of habitat, climate, and ecology on the evolution of color . San Diego State University . MSc .
3. Scott . B.F. . Chesser . R.T. . Unitt . P. . Burns . K.J. . 2024 . Driophlox, a new genus of cardinalid (Aves: Passeriformes: Cardinalidae) . Zootaxa . 5406 . 3 . 497-500 . 10.11646/zootaxa.5406.3.11.
4. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela C. Rasmussen . July 2024 . Cardinals, grosbeaks and 'tanager' allies . IOC World Bird List Version 14.2 . International Ornithologists' Union . 24 October 2024 .
5. Web site: Jobling . James A. . Driophlox . The Key to Scientific Names . Cornell Lab of Ornithology . 24 October 2024 .