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Fantails (Rhipiduridae)

Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris) - HBW 11, p. 238

French: Rhipidure à ventre chamois German: Witwenfächerschwanz Spanish: Abanico Norteño
Other common names: White-throated Fantail(!), Banded/Large-billed/Red-vented Fantail

Taxonomy: Platyrhynchos rufiventris Vieillot, 1818, New Holland; error = Timor.
Sometimes considered to include R. diluta and R. fuscorufa as well-marked races. Birds from Tayandu Is (S Moluccas) described as race perneglecta, considered indistinguishable from assimilis. Race hoedti has been listed as “buettikoferi”, described almost simultaneously from a different island; these two have even been considered as two separate races, but claimed differences are slim, and biogeographically this separation seems unsuitable. Twenty subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • vidua Salvadori & Turati, 1874 - Kofiau, in W Papuan Is.
  • gularis Statius Muller, 1843 - W Papuan Is (except Kofiau), New Guinea, including islands in Geelvink Bay (except Biak), Manam I, Goodenough I and Fergusson I, and islands in Torres Strait.
  • kordensis A. B. Meyer, 1874 - Biak I.

     See all 20 subspecies
  • vidua Salvadori & Turati, 1874 - Kofiau, in W Papuan Is.
  • gularis Statius Muller, 1843 - W Papuan Is (except Kofiau), New Guinea, including islands in Geelvink Bay (except Biak), Manam I, Goodenough I and Fergusson I, and islands in Torres Strait.
  • kordensis A. B. Meyer, 1874 - Biak I.
  • nigromentalis E. J. O. Hartert, 1898 - Louisiade Archipelago (Misima, Tagula).
  • niveiventris Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1914 - Admiralty Is (Manus, Rambutyo).
  • mussai Rothschild & E. J. O. Hartert, 1924 - Mussau I, in St Matthias Group.
  • setosa (Quoy & Gaimard, 1830) - New Hanover, New Ireland and Djaul I.
  • gigantea Stresemann, 1933 - Tabar Is and Lihir Is (off E New Ireland).
  • tangensis Mayr, 1955 - Boang, in Tanga Is (between Tabar and Lihir).
  • finschii Salvadori, 1882 - New Britain and Duke of York I.
  • obiensis Salvadori, 1876 - Obi I (S of Halmahera).
  • bouruensis Wallace, 1863 - Buru I.
  • cinerea Wallace, 1865 - Seram and Ambon.
  • finitima E. J. O. Hartert, 1918 - Watubela Is (Tioor, Kasiui).
  • assimilis G. R. Gray, 1858 - Tayandu Is and Kai Is (Kai Besar, Kai Kecil).
  • pallidiceps E. J. O. Hartert, 1904 - Wetar (in E Lesser Sundas).
  • hoedti Büttikofer, 1892 - E Lesser Sundas (Romang, Damar, Leti, Moa, Sermata).
  • rufiventris (Vieillot, 1818) - Timor.
  • tenkatei Büttikofer, 1892 - Roti (off SW Timor).
  • isura Gould, 1841 - N Australia from about Broome (in N Western Australia) E across Top End to NE Queensland (S to vicinity of Proserpine).
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