Stenostiridae, or the fairy flycatchers,[ IOC ] are a family of small passerine proposed as a result of recent discoveries in molecular systematics.[Beresford et al. (2005)] They are also referred to as stenostirid warblers.
Taxonomy and systematics
This new
clade is named after the
fairy flycatcher, a distinct species placed formerly in the Old World flycatchers. This is united with the "sylvioid flycatchers": the genus
Elminia (formerly placed in the
Monarchinae) and the closely allied former Old World flycatcher genus
Culicicapa, as well as one species formerly believed to be an aberrant
fantail.
[Fuchs et al. (2006)]
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Genus Stenostira – fairy "warbler" or fairy "flycatcher"
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Genus Elminia (includes Trochocercus)
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African blue flycatcher, Elminia longicauda
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White-tailed blue flycatcher, Elminia albicauda
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Dusky crested flycatcher, Elminia nigromitrata
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White-bellied crested flycatcher, Elminia albiventris
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White-tailed crested flycatcher, Elminia albonotata
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Genus Chelidorhynx (formerly in Rhipidura)
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Yellow-bellied fantail, Chelidorhynx hypoxanthus
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Genus Culicicapa
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Grey-headed canary-flycatcher, Culicicapa ceylonensis
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Citrine canary-flycatcher, Culicicapa helianthea
Other African or Asian species might conceivably fall into this novel clade. The ( Myioparus) are apparently true flycatchers morphologically somewhat convergent to Stenostira.[Jønsson & Fjeldså (2006)]
The Stenostiridae as a whole are related to penduline tits, titmice and chickadees. All these appear to be closer to the Sylvioidea than to other Passerida, but this is not robustly supported by the available data and they might constitute a distinct, more basal Taxonomic rank.[Alström et al. (2006)][Barker et al. (2004)]
Footnotes
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