Lichenostomus Explained

Lichenostomus is a genus of honeyeaters endemic to Australia.

The genus formerly contained twenty species but it was split after a molecular phylogenetic analysis published in 2011 showed that the genus was polyphyletic.^[1] Former members were moved to the six new genera: Nesoptilotis, Bolemoreus, Caligavis, Stomiopera, Gavicalis and Ptilotula.^[1]

The genus contains two species:^[2]

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Lichenostomus melanops		east and southeast Australia
	Lichenostomus cratitius		southwest and south-central Australia

The name Lichenostomus was introduced by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis in 1851.^[3] The word is derived from the Greek leikhēn meaning lichen or callous and stoma meaning mouth.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Nyári . Á.S. . Joseph . L. . 2011 . Systematic dismantlement of Lichenostomus improves the basis for understanding relationships within the honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) and historical development of Australo–Papuan bird communities . Emu . 111 . 3 . 202–211 . 10.1071/mu10047. 2011EmuAO.111..202N . 85333285 .
2. Web site: Gill . Frank . Donsker . David . Honeyeaters . World Bird List Version 6.1 . International Ornithologists' Union. 29 January 2016 .
3. Book: Cabanis, Jean Louis . 1851 . Museum Heineannum (Volume 1) . Halberstadt . de . 119 .
4. Book: Jobling, James A . 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm . London . 978-1-4081-2501-4 . 226.