The affinities of the blue wren genus Malurus and related genera: with special reference to the grass-wren genus Amytornis (Results of the Harold Hall Australian Expedition, No.22)

Abstract

An examination of specimens revealed that the blue wrens, Malurus spp., emu wrens Stipiturus spp., grass-wrens, Amytornis spp., and species of the New Guinea genera Todopsis, Chenorhamphus, and Clytomyias, have the common morphological character of a gap in the interscapular zone of the spinal feather tract, this area being covered by longer feathers of the cervical and humeral tracts. This character provides a common link between genera which had been tentatively grouped together in an earlier paper, but excludes Lamprolia which had been provisionally placed with this group. Amytornis striatus and A. textilis show an extremely close resemblance to some species of babblers of the genera Garrulax, Babax, and Argya in morphology and plumage pattern, and it is considered that this is an indication of relationship of Amytornis to the Timaliidae. The behaviour of Amytornis spp., in so far as it is known, resembles that of Malurus spp. In the earlier paper it had been shown that the behaviour of Malurus spp. was like that of babblers and did not resemble that of the thrushes, flycatchers, and warblers. In view of the additional evidence it is suggested that the six genera Malurus, Stipiturus, Amytornis, Todopsis, Chenorhamphus, and Clytomyias should be regarded as an Australasian subfamily or tribe of the babblers, Timaliidae.