Scepomycter Explained

Scepomycter is a genus of threatened birds in the family Cisticolidae. The two species are endemic to highland forests in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. They are small, mainly grey birds with a reddish-orange head.

Taxonomy

The Rubeho warbler is a cryptic species only described as separate from the Winifred's warbler in 2009. Winifred's warbler (and by association, the Rubeho warbler) have sometimes been included in the genus Bathmocercus.

• Winifred's warbler (Scepomycter winifredae).
• Rubeho warbler (Scepomycter rubehoensis).

References

• Bowie, R.C.K., J. Fjeldså, & J. Kiure (2009). Multilocus molecular DNA variation in Winifred's Warbler Scepomycter winifredae suggests cryptic speciation and the existence of a threatened species in the Rubeho–Ukaguru Mountains of Tanzania. Ibis 151(4): 709–719.
• Nguembock, B., J. Fjeldså, A. Tillier, & E. Pasquet (2007). A phylogeny for the Cisticolidae (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and a re-interpretation of a unique nest-building specialization. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42: 272–286.