Melaenornis Explained

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.

Taxonomy

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.^[1] Melasoma was pre-occupied by "Melasoma Dillwyn" that had been introduced in 1831 by James Stephens for a genus of insects.^{[2] [3]} The name Melaenornis combines the Ancient Greek melas, melaina meaning "black" with ornis meaning "bird".^[4]

Species

The genus contains the following seven species:^[5]

• Angola slaty flycatcher, Melaenornis brunneus
• White-eyed slaty flycatcher, Melaenornis fischeri
• Abyssinian slaty flycatcher, Melaenornis chocolatinus
• Nimba flycatcher, Melaenornis annamarulae
• Yellow-eyed black flycatcher, Melaenornis ardesiacus
• Northern black flycatcher, Melaenornis edolioides
• Southern black flycatcher, Melaenornis pammelaina

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.^{[5] [6]} 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.^{[7] [5]}

Further reading

• Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2006). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Lynx Edicions. .

Notes and References

1. Book: Gray, George Robert . George Robert Gray . 1840 . A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus . London . R. and J.E. Taylor . 35 .
2. Book: Stephens, James Francis . James Francis Stephens . 1831 . Illustrations of British entomology; or, A synopsis of indigenous insects: containing their generic and specific distinctions . 4: Mandibulata . London . Baldwin and Cradock . 349 .
3. Book: Mayr . Ernst . Ernst Mayr . Cottrell . G. William . 1986 . Check-List of Birds of the World . 11 . Museum of Comparative Zoology . Cambridge, Massachusetts . 296 .
4. Book: Jobling, James A. . 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm . London . 978-1-4081-2501-4 . 246 .
5. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela Rasmussen . July 2023 . Chats, Old World flycatchers . IOC World Bird List Version 13.2 . International Ornithologists' Union . 20 July 2023.
6. Sangster . G. . Alström. P. . Forsmark . E. . Olsson . U. . 2010 . Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of Old World chats and flycatchers reveals extensive paraphyly at family, subfamily and genus level (Aves: Muscicapidae) . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . 57 . 1 . 380–392 . 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.07.008 . 20656044. 2010MolPE..57..380S .
7. Zhao . M. . Gordon Burleigh . J. . Olsson . U. . Alström . P. . Kimball . R.T. . 2023 . A near-complete and time-calibrated phylogeny of the Old World flycatchers, robins and chats (Aves, Muscicapidae) . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . 178 . 107646 . 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107646 . free . 36265831 . 2023MolPE.17807646Z .