Melanocharis

Melanocharis is a genus of birds in the berrypecker and longbill family Melanocharitidae that are endemic to New Guinea.

Taxonomy

The genus Melanocharis was introduced in 1858 by the English zoologist Philip Sclater to accommodate a single species, Dicaeum niger Lesson, the black berrypecker. This is the type species. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek μελας/melas, μελανος/melanos meaning "black" with χαρις/kharis, χαριτος/kharitos meaning "beauty".

A molecular genetic study published in 2021 found that the spotted berrypecker, then placed in the genus Rhamphocharis, was embedded in Melanocharis. Base on this result, the genus Rhamphocharis was subsumed into Melanocharis.

Species

The genus contains the following eight species:

• Obscure berrypecker, Melanocharis arfakiana
• Black berrypecker, Melanocharis nigra
• Mid-mountain berrypecker, Melanocharis longicauda
• Fan-tailed berrypecker, Melanocharis versteri
• Satin berrypecker, Melanocharis citreola
• Streaked berrypecker, Melanocharis striativentris
• Thick-billed berrypecker, Melanocharis crassirostris
• Spotted berrypecker, Melanocharis piperata

References