Calamanthus


Calamanthus is a genus of bird in the family Acanthizidae.

Taxonomy

The genus Calamanthus was introduced in 1838 by the English ornithologist John Gould
as a replacement name for Praticola that had been introduced in 1837 by William Swainson to accommodate Praticola anthoides Swainson, a junior synonym of Anthus fuliginosus Vigors and Horsfield, the striated fieldwren. The name Praticola was pre-occupied as it had previous been introduced in 1829 by the German naturalist Johann [Jakob Kaup]. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek καλαμαια/kalamaia meaning "grasshopper" with the genus Anthus Johann [Matthäus Bechstein|Bechstein], 1805.
A poorly researched genus, the alliance has been recognised as a single species treatment and later two species or provisionally three separate species.
Birds of the World: Recommended English Names lists the following three species:
ImageCommon nameScientific nameDistribution
rufous fieldwrenCalamanthus campestrisAustralia.
striated fieldwrenCalamanthus fuliginosusAustralia.
Western fieldwrenCalamanthus montanellusAustralia.