Red-headed Myzomela - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

Myzomela erythrocephala was first described by John Gould in 1840, from specimens located in King Sound, north Western Australia. As well as the nominate race M. erythrocephala erythrocephala, two additional subspecies are recognised: M. erythrocephala infuscata named by William Alexander Forbes in 1879, and M. erythrocephala dammermani described by Friederich Wilhelm Sieber in 1928. Some taxonomic authorities recognize M. erythrocephala dammermani as a separate species, the Sumba Myzomela (Myzomela dammermani).

It is a member of the genus Myzomela which includes two other Australian species, the Scarlet Myzomela of eastern Australia, and the Dusky Myzomela of northern Australia. It belongs to the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. A 2004 genetic study of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of honeyeaters found it to be the next closest relative to a smaller group consisting of the Scarlet and Cardinal Myzomelas, although only five of the thirty members of the genus Myzomela were analysed. Molecular analysis has shown honeyeaters to be related to the Pardalotidae (pardalotes), Acanthizidae (Australian warblers, scrubwrens, thornbills, etc.), and the Maluridae (Australian fairy-wrens) in a large Meliphagoidea superfamily. Because the Red-headed Honeyeater occurs on many offshore islands and appears to be an effective water-crosser, it has been hypothesised that north-western Australia was the primary centre of origin for the Myzomela erythrocephala subspecies.

The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek words myzo 'to suckle' and meli 'honey', and refers to the bird's nectivorous habits, while erythrocephala is from the Greek erythros ‘red’ and a combining form of the Greek kephale ‘head’. Other common names are Mangrove Red-headed Honeyeater, Mangrove Redhead, and Blood Bird.