Chestnut-bellied monarch explained

The chestnut-bellied monarch (Monarcha castaneiventris) or chestnut-bellied monarch-flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae. It is endemic to the Solomon Islands.

Subspecies

Four subspecies are recognized:^[1]

• M. c. castaneiventris - Verreaux, 1858: Found on Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Guadalcanal and Malaita
• M. c. obscurior - Mayr, 1935: Found on Russell Islands
  • Makira monarch (M. c. megarhynchus) - Rothschild & Hartert, 1908: Found on Makira Makira monarch (M. c. ugiensis) - (Ramsay, EP, 1882): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Pomarea. Found on Ugi Island

Behaviour and ecology

In 2009, it was reported that a genetic change in some members of this species caused their colouration and songs to be different from other members of the species. As a result, members in one group did not recognize members in the other, so the two groups became reproductively isolated from each other. It was thought that over time, this could eventually lead to the creation of a new species, and that this was an example of biological evolution.^[2]

Notes and References

1. IOC World Bird List 6.4. IOC World Bird List Datasets. 10.14344/ioc.ml.6.4. free.
2. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/fo1b-bpf080509.php Beautiful plumage: Feather color and sex start the species revolution