Fairy-wrens (Maluridae)

Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti) - HBW 12, p. 519

French: Mérion de Lambert German: Weißbauch-Staffelschwanz Spanish: Maluro Variegado
Other common names: Lavender-flanked Wren/Fairy-wren (dulcis); Purple-backed Wren/Fairy-wren (assimilis); Rogers’s Fairy-wren (rogersi)

Taxonomy: Malurus lamberti Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, no locality = Sydney area, New South Wales, Australia.
Part of the “chestnut-shouldered group”, which includes also M. amabilis, M. pulcherrimus and M. elegans. Forms a superspecies with M. amabilis; sometimes considered conspecific, mainly on account of blue female plumage of latter species and of races dulcis and rogersi, but protein data support treatment as separate species. Geographical variation in colours of male and female plumage considerable, and races were at one time regarded as representing four separate species, with many additional races described. Race assimilis intergrades with.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Malurus lamberti Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, no locality = Sydney area, New South Wales, Australia.
Part of the “chestnut-shouldered group”, which includes also M. amabilis, M. pulcherrimus and M. elegans. Forms a superspecies with M. amabilis; sometimes considered conspecific, mainly on account of blue female plumage of latter species and of races dulcis and rogersi, but protein data support treatment as separate species. Geographical variation in colours of male and female plumage considerable, and races were at one time regarded as representing four separate species, with many additional races described. Race assimilis intergrades with both dulcis and rogersi, and also, in E, with coastal nominate race. Five subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • rogersi Mathews, 1912 - Kimberley region, in NW Australia.
  • dulcis Mathews, 1908 - Arnhem Land, in N Australia.
  • bernieri Ogilvie-Grant, 1909 - Bernier I, in Shark Bay, off W coast of Western Australia.

     See all 5 subspecies
  • rogersi Mathews, 1912 - Kimberley region, in NW Australia.
  • dulcis Mathews, 1908 - Arnhem Land, in N Australia.
  • bernieri Ogilvie-Grant, 1909 - Bernier I, in Shark Bay, off W coast of Western Australia.
  • assimilis North, 1901 - mainland Australia W of Great Dividing Range.
  • lamberti Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 - E Australia E of Great Dividing Range.