Malurus
Genus of birds
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Malurus is a genus of passerine birds in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae.
_male_South_Bruny.jpg)
| Malurus | |
|---|---|
| Male superb fairywren | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Maluridae |
| Genus: | Malurus Vieillot, 1816 |
| Type species | |
| Motacilla cyanea[1] Ellis, 1782 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Taxonomy
The genus Malurus was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Vieillot to accommodate a single species, Motacilla cyanea Latham, the superb fairywren. This is the type species.[2][3] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek μαλος/malos meaning "soft" or "delicate" with ουρα/oura meaning "tail".[4]
Species
The genus contains 12 species:[5]
| Image | Scientific name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Malurus cyanocephalus | Emperor fairywren | New Guinea |
 | Malurus amabilis | Lovely fairywren | North-eastern Australia |
 | Malurus assimilis | Purple-backed fairywren | Central and Western Australia |
 | Malurus lamberti | Variegated fairywren | Eastern Australia |
_of_Kings_Park,_Perth_Western_Australia.jpg) | Malurus pulcherrimus | Blue-breasted fairywren | Southern Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia |
 | Malurus elegans | Red-winged fairywren | South-western corner of Western Australia |
 | Malurus cyaneus | Superb fairywren | Australia and lowland New Guinea |
 | Malurus splendens | Splendid fairywren | Central and Western Australia |
 | Malurus coronatus | Purple-crowned fairywren | Northern Australia |
 | Malurus alboscapulatus | White-shouldered fairywren | New Guinea |
 | Malurus melanocephalus | Red-backed fairywren | Australia |
 | Malurus leucopterus | White-winged fairywren | Central Queensland and South Australia across to Western Australia |
Former species
Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize several additional species as belonging to the genus Malurus including:
- Wallace's fairywren (as Malurus wallacei and Malurus wallacii)[6]
- Broad-billed fairywren (as Malurus grayi)[7]
- Campbell's fairywren (as Malurus campbelli)[8]