UPPERCASE: current genusUppercase first letter: generic synonym● and ● See: generic homonymslowercase: species and subspecies●: early names, variants, misspellings‡: extinct†: type speciesGr.: ancient GreekL.: Latin<: derived fromsyn: synonym of/: separates historical and modern geographic namesex: based onTL: type localityOD: original diagnosis (genus) or original description (species)
Originally described as part of the genus Artisornis by Moreau (1
Moreau, R. E. (1938). A new Artisornis. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 58:139.
), but moved to Bathmocercus by Halland Moreau in 1970 (15
Hall, B. P., and R. E. Moreau (1970). An Atlas of Speciation in African Passerine Birds. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History), London, United Kingdom.
), which was followed by subsequent authors (e.g., 16
Mayr, E., and G. W. Cottrell, Editors (1986). Check-list of Birds of the World: a Continuation of the Work of James L. Peters. Volume 11. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, USA.
, 17
Fry, C. H. (1997). Mrs. Moreau’s Warbler (Bathmocercus winifredae). In The Birds of Africa. Volume V (E. K. Urban, C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors). Academic Press, London, United Kingdom. pp. 81–82.
). Grant and Mackworth-Praed (18
Grant, C. H. B., and C. W. Mackworth-Praed (1941). Type, by original designation, Artisornis winifredae Moreau. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 62:30.
) had proposed it be placed in its own genus,Scepomycter on account of subtle morphological differences, and DNA studies have subsequently supported this classification; Mrs. Moreau's Warbler is not closely related to either Artisornis or Bathmocercus, and is best treated in the monotypic genus Scepomycter (19
Nguembock, B., J. Fjeldså, A. Tillier, and É. Pasquet (2007). A phylogeny for the Cisticolidae (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and a re-interpretation of a unique nest-building specialization. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42(1):272–286.
, 20
Nguembock, B., C. Cruaud, and C. Denys (2012). A large evaluation of passerine cisticolids (Aves: Passeriformes): more about their phylogeny and diversification. Open Ornithology Journal 5:42–56.
).
Birds from the Rubeho–Ukaguru Mountains were described as a separate species, the Rubeho Warbler (Scepomycter rubehoensis), based on diagnosable plumage differences (see Subspecies) and lack of gene flow between populations in the Uluguru and Rubeho–Ukaguru mountains (5
Bowie, R. C. K., J. Fjeldså, and J. Kiure (2009). Multilocus molecular DNA variation in Winifred’s Warbler Scepomycter winifredae suggests cryptic speciation and the existence of a threatened species in the Rubeho–Ukaguru Mountains of Tanzania. Ibis 151:709–719.
), but this taxon is treated as subspecies rubehoensis here.
The holotype, a male collected by R. E. Moreau on 11 July 1937, is held at the British Museum of Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom (1938.6.18.1) (1
Moreau, R. E. (1938). A new Artisornis. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 58:139.
).
Distribution
Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania.
Identification Summary
Uniform rufous head, throat, and upper breast; underparts grayish brown with an olive tinge, and only very faint buffy-olive mottling on the central underparts (5
Bowie, R. C. K., J. Fjeldså, and J. Kiure (2009). Multilocus molecular DNA variation in Winifred’s Warbler Scepomycter winifredae suggests cryptic speciation and the existence of a threatened species in the Rubeho–Ukaguru Mountains of Tanzania. Ibis 151:709–719.
).
Scepomycter winifredae winifredae
(Moreau, 1938)
PROTONYM:Artisornis winifredae
Moreau, 1938. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 58, p.139.
TYPE LOCALITY:
Kinole forest, northern Uluguru, Tanganyika.
UPPERCASE: current genusUppercase first letter: generic synonym● and ● See: generic homonymslowercase: species and subspecies●: early names, variants, misspellings‡: extinct†: type speciesGr.: ancient GreekL.: Latin<: derived fromsyn: synonym of/: separates historical and modern geographic namesex: based onTL: type localityOD: original diagnosis (genus) or original description (species)
Scepomycter winifredae rubehoensisBowie, Fjeldså, and Kiure, 2009, Ibis 151:709–719. Type locality = 2,100 m elevation in Ukwiva Forest, Rubeho Mountains, Kilosa District, Morogoro Region, Tanzania (5
Bowie, R. C. K., J. Fjeldså, and J. Kiure (2009). Multilocus molecular DNA variation in Winifred’s Warbler Scepomycter winifredae suggests cryptic speciation and the existence of a threatened species in the Rubeho–Ukaguru Mountains of Tanzania. Ibis 151:709–719.
). Proposed as a new species, Scepomycter rubehoensis, by Bowie et al. (5
Bowie, R. C. K., J. Fjeldså, and J. Kiure (2009). Multilocus molecular DNA variation in Winifred’s Warbler Scepomycter winifredae suggests cryptic speciation and the existence of a threatened species in the Rubeho–Ukaguru Mountains of Tanzania. Ibis 151:709–719.
), but here considered a subspecies (see Systematics History).
The holotype, an adult male collected by Jacob Kurie on 12 September 2002, is held at the Zoological Museum, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark (ZMUC 94.093) (5
Bowie, R. C. K., J. Fjeldså, and J. Kiure (2009). Multilocus molecular DNA variation in Winifred’s Warbler Scepomycter winifredae suggests cryptic speciation and the existence of a threatened species in the Rubeho–Ukaguru Mountains of Tanzania. Ibis 151:709–719.
).
Distribution
Ukaguru and Rubeho Mountains, Tanzania.
Identification Summary
Differs in having a slightly deeper red head, a more chestnut crown, slightly more mottled underparts with pale olive-buff subapical transverse spots on most feathers, and a slightly longer bill (5
Bowie, R. C. K., J. Fjeldså, and J. Kiure (2009). Multilocus molecular DNA variation in Winifred’s Warbler Scepomycter winifredae suggests cryptic speciation and the existence of a threatened species in the Rubeho–Ukaguru Mountains of Tanzania. Ibis 151:709–719.
).
UPPERCASE: current genusUppercase first letter: generic synonym● and ● See: generic homonymslowercase: species and subspecies●: early names, variants, misspellings‡: extinct†: type speciesGr.: ancient GreekL.: Latin<: derived fromsyn: synonym of/: separates historical and modern geographic namesex: based onTL: type localityOD: original diagnosis (genus) or original description (species)
Phylogenetic studies based on DNA sequence data suggest that Mrs. Moreau's Warbler is rather distantly related to the genus Bathmocercus, and should therefore be maintained in Scepomycter (19
Nguembock, B., J. Fjeldså, A. Tillier, and É. Pasquet (2007). A phylogeny for the Cisticolidae (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and a re-interpretation of a unique nest-building specialization. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42(1):272–286.
, 21
Olsson, U., M. Irestedt, G. Sangster, P. G. P. Ericson, and P. Alström (2013). Systematic revision of the avian family Cisticolidae based on a multi-locus phylogeny of all genera. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66(3):790–799.
). Within Cisticolidae, relationships are not well-resolved, but Mrs. Moreau's Warbler may be sister to Kopje Warbler (Euryptila subcinnamomea) (21
Olsson, U., M. Irestedt, G. Sangster, P. G. P. Ericson, and P. Alström (2013). Systematic revision of the avian family Cisticolidae based on a multi-locus phylogeny of all genera. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66(3):790–799.
), or it may be sister to Socotra Warbler (Incana incana) (20
Nguembock, B., C. Cruaud, and C. Denys (2012). A large evaluation of passerine cisticolids (Aves: Passeriformes): more about their phylogeny and diversification. Open Ornithology Journal 5:42–56.
). More broadly, Mrs. Moreau's Warbler appears to be part of a clade that includes Oriole Warbler (Hypergerus atriceps), Gray-capped Warbler (Eminia lepida), Rufous-eared Warbler (Malcorus pectoralis), Socotra Warbler, Kopje Warbler, and the Bathmocercus warblers (19
Nguembock, B., J. Fjeldså, A. Tillier, and É. Pasquet (2007). A phylogeny for the Cisticolidae (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and a re-interpretation of a unique nest-building specialization. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 42(1):272–286.
, 20
Nguembock, B., C. Cruaud, and C. Denys (2012). A large evaluation of passerine cisticolids (Aves: Passeriformes): more about their phylogeny and diversification. Open Ornithology Journal 5:42–56.
, 21
Olsson, U., M. Irestedt, G. Sangster, P. G. P. Ericson, and P. Alström (2013). Systematic revision of the avian family Cisticolidae based on a multi-locus phylogeny of all genera. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66(3):790–799.
).
Hybridization
None reported (22
McCarthy, E. M. (2006). Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom.
).
Nomenclature
Also known as Winifred's Warbler.
Fossil History
Information needed.
Recommended Citation
Jensen, F. P. (2023). Mrs. Moreau's Warbler (Scepomycter winifredae), version 2.1. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.mrmwar1.02.1
