ZOSTEROPS

'''Zosterops''' is a genus of birds containing the 'typical white-eyes'. They are traditionally placed in the white-eye family Zosteropidae which may actually be a part of the Timaliidae however (Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006).
This genus has the highest number of species among the white-eyes by far. They occur in the Afrotropic ecoregion, the Indomalaya zone, and the Australasia ecozone. Typical white-eyes can reach a length between 8 and 15 cm. Their most characteric feature is the conspicuous white feather ring around the eyes, thoush some species lack it.

Contents

Systematics

References

External links

Systematics

A review of new DNA sequence data (Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006) suggests that the genus might not be monophyletic. Few species have been researched however, with the highest density of sampled taxa being from Micronesia. There, it appears, a more distinct eastern lineage and a western one closer to East Asian species occur. The relationships of the former to the ''Rukia'' white-eyes need investigation. Also, the Cape White-eye seems to stand apart from the rest but this is by no means certain.

★ African Yellow White-eye, ''Zosterops senegalensis''

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★ Kirk's White-eye, ''Zosterops (senegalensis) kirki''

★ Pemba White-eye, ''Zosterops vaughani''

★ Chestnut-sided White-eye, ''Zosterops mayottensis''

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★ Seychelles (Chestnut-sided) White-eye, ''Zosterops (mayottensis) semiflava'' - extinct (late 19th century)

★ Broad-ringed White-eye, ''Zosterops poliogastrus'' - formerly ''poliogaster''

★ White-breasted White-eye, ''Zosterops abyssinicus''

★ Cape White-eye, ''Zosterops pallidus''

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★ Orange River White-eye, ''Zosterops (pallidus) pallidus''

★ Madagascar White-eye, ''Zosterops maderaspatanus''

★ Comoro White-eye, ''Zosterops mouroniensis''

★ Sao Tome White-eye, ''Zosterops ficedulinus''

★ Annobon White-eye, ''Zosterops griseovirescens''

★ Mascarene White-eye, ''Zosterops borbonicus''

★ Reunion White-eye, ''Zosterops olivaceus''

★ Mauritius Olive White-eye, ''Zosterops chloronothos''

★ Seychelles White-eye, ''Zosterops modestus''

★ Sri Lanka White-eye, ''Zosterops ceylonensis''

★ Chestnut-flanked White-eye, ''Zosterops erythropleurus''

★ Oriental White-eye, ''Zosterops palpebrosus''

★ Japanese White-eye, ''Zosterops japonicus''

★ Lowland White-eye, ''Zosterops meyeni''

★ Enggano White-eye, ''Zosterops salvadorii''

★ Bridled White-eye, ''Zosterops conspicillatus'' - possibly poly- or paraphyletic

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★ Guam Bridled White-eye, ''Zosterops (conspicillatus) conspicillatus'' - extinct (1983)

★ Rota White-eye, ''Zosterops rotensis'' - recently split from ''Z. conspicillatus''

★ Plain White-eye, ''Zosterops hypolais''

★ Caroline Islands White-eye, ''Zosterops semperi''

★ Black-capped White-eye, ''Zosterops atricapilla'' - formerly ''atricapillus''

★ Everett's White-eye, ''Zosterops everetti''

★ Yellowish White-eye, ''Zosterops nigrorum''

★ Mountain White-eye, ''Zosterops montanus''

★ Christmas Island White-eye, ''Zosterops natalis''

★ Javan White-eye, ''Zosterops flavus''

★ Yellow-bellied White-eye, ''Zosterops chloris''

★ Ashy-bellied White-eye, ''Zosterops citrinella'' - formerly ''citrinellus''

★ Great Kai White-eye, ''Zosterops grayi''

★ Little Kai White-eye, ''Zosterops uropygialis''

★ Sulawesi White-eye, ''Zosterops consobrinorum''

★ Black-ringed White-eye, ''Zosterops anomalous''

★ Yellow-spectacled White-eye, ''Zosterops wallacei''

★ Black-crowned White-eye, ''Zosterops atrifrons''

★ Sangihe White-eye, ''Zosterops nehrkorni''

★ Seram White-eye, ''Zosterops stalkeri''

★ Cream-throated White-eye, ''Zosterops atriceps''

★ Black-fronted White-eye, ''Zosterops minor''

★ White-throated White-eye, ''Zosterops meeki''

★ Black-headed White-eye, ''Zosterops hypoxanthus''

★ Biak White-eye, ''Zosterops mysorensis''

★ Capped White-eye, ''Zosterops fuscicapilla'' - formerly ''fuscicapillus''

★ Buru White-eye, ''Zosterops buruensis''

★ Ambon White-eye, ''Zosterops kuehni''

★ New Guinea White-eye, ''Zosterops novaeguineae''

★ Australian Yellow White-eye, ''Zosterops luteus''

★ Louisiade White-eye, ''Zosterops griseotinctus''

★ Rennell White-eye, ''Zosterops rennellianus''

★ Banded White-eye, ''Zosterops vellalavella''

★ Ganongga White-eye, ''Zosterops splendidus''

★ Splendid White-eye, ''Zosterops luteirostris''

★ Solomon Islands White-eye, ''Zosterops kulambangrae''

★ Kulambangra White-eye, ''Zosterops murphyi''

★ Yellow-throated White-eye, ''Zosterops metcalfii''

★ Grey-throated White-eye, ''Zosterops rendovae''

★ Malaita White-eye, ''Zosterops stresemanni''

★ Santa Cruz White-eye, ''Zosterops santaecrucis''

★ Silvereye, ''Zosterops lateralis''

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★ Lord Howe Silvereye, ''Zosterops (lateralis) tephropleurus'' - formerly ''tephropleurus''

★ Lord Howe White-eye, ''Zosterops strenuus'' - formerly ''strenua''; extinct (c.1918)

★ Slender-billed White-eye, ''Zosterops tenuirostris''

★ White-chested White-eye, ''Zosterops albogularis''

★ Large Lifou White-eye, ''Zosterops inornatus''

★ Layard's White-eye, ''Zosterops explorator''

★ Yellow-fronted White-eye, ''Zosterops flavifrons''

★ Green-backed White-eye, ''Zosterops xanthochroa'' - formerly ''xanthochrous''

★ Small Lifou White-eye, ''Zosterops minutus''

★ Samoan White-eye, ''Zosterops samoensis''

★ Dusky White-eye,, ''Zosterops finschii''

★ Grey White-eye, ''Zosterops cinereus''

★ Yap Olive White-eye, ''Zosterops oleagineus'' - sometimes placed in ''Rukia'' (as ''R. oleaginea'')

References

★ 'Jønsson', Knud A. & 'Fjeldså', Jon (2006): A phylogenetic supertree of oscine passerine birds (Aves: Passeri). ''Zool. Scripta'' '35'(2): 149–186. (HTML abstract)

External links

★ Zosterops videos on the Internet Bird Collection