Geomalia
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| Geomalia heinrichi Stresemann, 1931 |
The Geomalia, Geomalia heinrichi also known as the Sulawesi Mountain-Thrush is a rare member of the thrush family endemic to Sulawesi in Indonesia. It is the only species in its monotypic genus.
The coloration of the bird is primarily dark brown with chestnut color on the breast. The long legs, long tail and short wings struck the discoverer as reminiscent of laughingthrushes, and the name Geomalia is itself a reference to another, superficially similar Sulawesi endemic, the Malia, but the two species are not related.
The scientific name commemorates its discoverer, the German explorer Gerd Heinrich.
Due to its isolation and the difficulty of getting to its habitat, the Geomalia is little-studied, and there has been some debate as to whether the species belongs in the thrush family. The species may be threatened by uncontrolled logging and other activities that cause degradation of the Sulawesi highlands, including the grounds of legally protected lands such as Lore Lindu National Park. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Geomalia heinrichi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened
- Geomalia heinrichi (TSN 560218). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 4 February 2006.
