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Issue: Vol. 1850 No. 1: 15 Aug. 2008
Type: Article
Published: 2008-08-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1850.1.2
Page range: 27–42
Abstract views: 40
PDF downloaded: 46

A new species of African Forest Robin from Gabon (Passeriformes: Muscicapidae: Stiphrornis)

Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO BOX 30712, Washington, DC, 20013-7012, USA
National Zoological Park & National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20008, USA Present address: Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640, USA
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 2072, Balboa, Ancon, Panama City, Republic of Panama
National Zoological Park & National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20008, USA Present address: Department of Animal and Plant Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
National Zoological Park & National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20008, USA
Aves African forest robin Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus Gamba Complex Moukalaba–Doudou National Park

Abstract

We describe a new species of forest robin from the Gamba Complex in southwest Gabon. This common bird, Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus sp. nov., inhabits primary lowland forest and forages on or near the ground like the other members of the genus Stiphrornis of central and western Africa. Unique phenotypic features of the new species include the male’s bright orange chin, throat, and breast, creamy yellow belly, olive green back and rump, and gray flanks. Mitochondrial sequence divergence corroborates our assessment based on its distinct physical characteristics that this is a new species, and suggest that Stiphrornis erythrothorax is likely the most closely related congener.

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