Monarcha Explained

Monarcha is a genus of bird in the family Monarchidae. They are found in Australia and Melanesia.

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus Monarcha was introduced by naturalists Nicholas Vigors and Thomas Horsfield in 1827 with the black-faced monarch (Monarcha melanopsis) as the type species.^{[1] [2]} The genus formerly included many more species. Based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2005 nineteen species were moved to the resurrected genus Symposiachrus and three to Carterornis.^{[3] [4]}

Extant species

The genus Monarcha contains the following seven species:^[4]

Image	Common Name	Scientific name	Distribution
		Monarcha cinerascens	Sulawesi to the Solomon Islands.
		Monarcha melanopsis	Australia and New Guinea
		Monarcha frater	Australia and New Guinea
	Chestnut-bellied monarch includes Bougainville monarch	Monarcha castaneiventris	Solomon Islands.
		Monarcha richardsii	Western Province in the Solomon Islands.
		Monarcha godeffroyi	Yap Main Islands, Micronesia.
		Monarcha takatsukasae	Northern Mariana Islands.

Former species

Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Monarcha:

• Black-naped monarch (as Monarcha azurea)^[5]
• Rarotonga monarch (as Monarches dimidiatus)^[6]
• Marquesan monarch (as Monarcha mendozae)^[7]
• Black monarch (as Monarcha axillaris)^[8]
• Black-bibbed monarch (as Monarcha mundus)^[9]
• Flores monarch (as Monarcha sacerdotum)^[10]
• Boano monarch (as Monarcha boanensis)^[11]
• Spectacled monarch (as Monarcha trivirgatus)^[12]
• Spectacled monarch (Seram) (as Monarcha nigrimentum)^[13]
• Spectacled monarch (bernsteinii) (as Monarcha bernsteini)^[14]
• Spectacled monarch (melanopterus) (as Monarcha melanoptera)^[15]
• Spectacled monarch (albiventris) (as Monarcha albiventris)^[16]
• Spectacled monarch (gouldii) (as Monarcha gouldii)^[17]
• Kai monarch (as Monarcha leucurus)^[18]
• Tanahjampea monarch (as Monarcha everetti)^[19]
• Kofiau monarch (as Monarcha julianae)^[20]
• Biak monarch (as Monarcha brehmii)^[21]
• Manus monarch (as Monarcha infelix)^[22]
• Mussau monarch (as Monarcha menckei)^[23]
• Black-tailed monarch (as Monarcha verticalis)^[24]
• Djaul monarch (as Monarcha ateralba)^[25]
• Solomons monarch (as Monarcha barbata)^[26]
• Malaita monarch (as Monarcha malaitae)^[27]
• Kolombangara monarch (as Monarcha browni or Monarcha kulambangrae)^[28]
• Kolombangara monarch (nigrotectus) (as Monarcha nigrotectus)^[29]
• White-collared monarch (as Monarcha vidua or Monarcha viduus)^[30]
• White-eared monarch (as Monarcha leucotis)^[31]
• White-naped monarch (as Monarcha pileatus)^[32]
• White-naped monarch (buruensis) (as Monarcha buruensis)^[33]
• Tanimbar monarch (as Monarcha castus)^[34]
• Golden monarch (as Monarcha chrysomela)^[35]
• Golden monarch (aruensis) (as Monarcha aruensis)^[36]
• Golden monarch (melanonotus) (as Monarcha melanonotus)^[37]
• Golden monarch (kordensis) (as Monarcha kordensis)^[38]
• Ochre-collared monarch (as Monarcha insularis)^[39]
• Shining flycatcher (as Monarcha alecto)^[40]
• Velvet flycatcher (as Monarcha hebetior)^[41]

Notes and References

1. Vigors . Nicholas Aylward . Nicholas Aylward Vigors . Horsfield . Thomas . Thomas Horsfield . 1827 . Australian birds in the collection of the Linnean Society; with an attempt at arranging them according to their natural affinities . Transactions of the Linnean Society of London . 15 . 1 . English, Latin. 170–334 [254–255] . 10.1111/j.1095-8339.1826.tb00115.x . The title page is dated 1826.
2. Book: Mayr . Ernst . Ernst Mayr . Cottrell . G. William . 1986 . Check-list of Birds of the World . 11 . Museum of Comparative Zoology . Cambridge, Massachusetts . 500 .
3. Filardi . C.E. . Smith . C.E. . 2005 . Molecular phylogenetics of monarch flycatchers (genus Monarcha) with emphasis on Solomon Island endemics . Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . 37 . 3 . 776–788 . 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.02.007 . 16291094 . 2005MolPE..37..776F .
4. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela C. Rasmussen . August 2024 . Monarchs . IOC World Bird List Version 14.2 . International Ornithologists' Union . 9 September 2024 .
5. Book: A Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. Harrison. John. Worfolk. Tim. 2011-01-27. OUP Oxford. 9780199585663. en.
6. Web site: Pomarea dimidiata - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-11.
7. Web site: Pomarea mendozae - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-11.
8. Web site: Symposiachrus axillaris - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-12.
9. Web site: Symposiachrus mundus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-13.
10. Web site: Symposiachrus sacerdotum - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-13.
11. Web site: Symposiachrus boanensis - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-13.
12. Web site: Symposiachrus trivirgatus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-13.
13. Web site: Symposiachrus trivirgatus nigrimentum - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-13.
14. Web site: Symposiachrus trivirgatus bernsteinii - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-13.
15. Web site: Symposiachrus trivirgatus melanopterus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-14.
16. Web site: Symposiachrus trivirgatus albiventris - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-14.
17. Web site: Symposiachrus trivirgatus gouldii - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-14.
18. Web site: Symposiachrus leucurus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-14.
19. Web site: Symposiachrus everetti - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-14.
20. Web site: Symposiachrus loricatus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-14.
21. Web site: Symposiachrus brehmii - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-15.
22. Web site: Symposiachrus infelix - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-15.
23. Web site: Symposiachrus menckei - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-15.
24. Web site: Symposiachrus verticalis - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-16.
25. Web site: Symposiachrus verticalis ateralbus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-16.
26. Web site: Symposiachrus barbatus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-16.
27. BirdLife International . 2016 . Symposiachrus malaitae . 2016 . e.T103713884A104089936 . 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103713884A104089936.en . 12 November 2021.
28. Web site: Symposiachrus browni - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-16.
29. Web site: Symposiachrus browni nigrotectus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-17.
30. Web site: Symposiachrus vidua - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-17.
31. Web site: Carterornis leucotis - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-20.
32. Web site: Carterornis pileatus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-20.
33. Web site: Carterornis pileatus buruensis - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-20.
34. Web site: Carterornis castus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-20.
35. Web site: Carterornis chrysomela - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-21.
36. Web site: Carterornis chrysomela aruensis - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-21.
37. Web site: Carterornis chrysomela melanonotus - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-21.
38. Web site: Carterornis chrysomela kordensis - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-21.
39. Web site: Arses insularis - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-21.
40. Web site: Myiagra alecto - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-26.
41. Web site: Myiagra hebetior - Avibase. avibase.bsc-eoc.org. 2017-01-26.