Research Article

A taxonomic revision of Arnot’s Chat Myrmecocichla arnotti (family Muscicapidae)

Published in: Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology
Volume 95 , issue 2 : Special Issue Commemorating the Work and Life of W Richard J Dean , 2024 , pages: 113–124

DOI: 10.2989/00306525.2024.2366097

Author(s): Robert J Dowsett , France , Sylke Frahnert Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Germany , Françoise Dowsett-Lemaire , France

Keywords: Keywords: museum collections , Myrmecocichla collaris , south-central Africa , type specimens , White-Headed Black Chat , Zambezian region

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Abstract

Arnot’s Chat Myrmecocichla arnotti in the family Muscicapidae is largely confined to the woodlands of the Zambezian biome of south-central Africa. This work assesses its taxonomic status, including comments on the so-called Ruaha Chat M. [a.] collaris (also named M. [a.] leucolaema). Based on an analysis of morphology, behaviour and molecular data, we recommend that M. arnotti be considered a single species with two subspecies: M. a. arnotti (including shelleyi, leucolaema and collaris) and M. a. harterti. A restricted type locality is proposed for Saxicola shelleyi Sharpe, 1877: Ngwesi (21°03′ S, 27°50′ E), southwestern Zimbabwe.

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