Nesoptilotis

Nesoptilotis
Nesoptilotis leucotis (white-eared honeyeater)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Meliphagidae
Genus: Nesoptilotis
Mathews, 1913
Type species
Ptilotis flavigula[1]
Gould, 1838

Nesoptilotis is a genus of honeyeaters endemic to Australia and Tasmania. The genus consists of two former members of Lichenostomus, and was created after a molecular phylogenetic analysis published in 2011 showed that the original genus was polyphyletic.[2]

The genus contains two species:[3]

Image Scientific name Common Name Distribution
N. flavicollis Yellow-throated honeyeater Tasmania
N. leucotis White-eared honeyeater southwest, south and east Australia

The name Nesoptilotis was first proposed by the Australian ornithologist Gregory Mathews in 1913.[4][5] The word is derived from the Greek nēsos island (i.e. Tasmania), ptilon feather and -ōtis eared.[6]

  1. ^ "Melaphagidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  2. ^ 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. doi:10.1071/mu10047.
  3. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David (eds.). "Honeyeaters". World Bird List Version 6.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  4. ^ Mathews, Gregory M. (1913). "New generic names with some notes on others". Austral Avian Record. 2: 55–62 [60].
  5. ^ Salomonsen, F. (1967). "Family Maliphagidae, Honeyeaters". In Paynter, R.A. Jnr. (ed.). Check-list of birds of the world (Volume 12). Cambridge, Mass.: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 365.
  6. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 269, 321. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.