| Malurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male superb fairywren | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Maluridae |
| Genus: | Malurus Vieillot, 1816 |
| Type species | |
| Motacilla cyanea1 Ellis, 1782
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Malurus is a genus of passerine birds in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae.
Taxonomy
The genus Malurus was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Vieillot to accommodate a single species, Motacilla cyanea Latham, the superb fairywren. This is the type species.23 The genus name combines the Ancient Greek μαλος/malos meaning "soft" or "delicate" with ουρα/oura meaning "tail".4
Species
The genus contains 12 species:5
| Image | Scientific name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Malurus cyanocephalus | Emperor fairywren | New Guinea |
 |
Malurus amabilis | Lovely fairywren | North-eastern Australia |
 |
Malurus assimilis | Purple-backed fairywren | Central and Western Australia |
 |
Malurus lamberti | Variegated fairywren | Eastern Australia |
 |
Malurus pulcherrimus | Blue-breasted fairywren | Southern Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia |
 |
Malurus elegans | Red-winged fairywren | South-western corner of Western Australia |
 |
Malurus cyaneus | Superb fairywren | Australia and lowland New Guinea |
 |
Malurus splendens | Splendid fairywren | Central and Western Australia |
 |
Malurus coronatus | Purple-crowned fairywren | Northern Australia |
 |
Malurus alboscapulatus | White-shouldered fairywren | New Guinea |
 |
Malurus melanocephalus | Red-backed fairywren | Australia |
 |
Malurus leucopterus | White-winged fairywren | Central Queensland and South Australia across to Western Australia |
Former species
Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize several additional species as belonging to the genus Malurus including:
- Wallace's fairywren (as Malurus wallacei and Malurus wallacii)6
- Broad-billed fairywren (as Malurus grayi)7
- Campbell's fairywren (as Malurus campbelli)8
References
References
- "Maluridae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
- Vieillot, Louis Pierre (1816). Analyse d'une Nouvelle Ornithologie Élémentaire (in French). Paris: Deterville/self. p. 44.
- Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1986). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 11. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 391.
- Jobling, James A. "Malurus". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (February 2025). "Lyrebirds, scrubbirds, bowerbirds, Australasian treecreepers, Australasian wrens". IOC World Bird List Version 15.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- "Sipodotus wallacii (Wallace's Fairywren) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
- "Chenorhamphus grayi (Broad-billed Fairywren) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
- "Chenorhamphus campbelli (Campbell's Fairywren) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
- Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2007). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-84-96553-42-2