Solomons rufous fantail
The Solomons rufous fantail is a species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae that is endemic to the Solomon Islands. It was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the Australian rufous fantail.
Taxonomy
The Solomons rufous fantail was formally described in 1879 by the Australian ornithologist Edward Pierson Ramsay based on a specimen that had been collected by James F. Cockerell on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Ramsay coined the binomial name Rhissidura rufofronta. The specific epithet combines Latin rufus meaning "red" with frons, frontis meaning "forehead" or "brow". The Solomons rufous fantail was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the rufous fantail but is now treated as a separate species mainly based on the genetic differences.Seven subspecies are recognised:
- R. r. commoda Hartert, EJO, 1918 – Buka to Isabel
- R. r. rufofronta Ramsay, EP, 1879 – Guadalcanal
- R. r. granti Hartert, EJO, 1918 – New Georgia group
- R. r. brunnea Mayr, 1931 – Malaita
- R. r. russata Tristram, 1879 – Makira
- R. r. kuperi Mayr, 1931 – Owaraha
- R. r. ugiensis Mayr, 1931 – Ugi