| Saxicola | |
|---|---|
| Male European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Saxicola Bechstein, 1802 |
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
The genus Saxicola (Etymology: "rock-dweller", from Latin saxum, a rock + incola, dwelling in), the stonechats or chats, is a genus of 15 species of small passerine birds restricted to the Old World. They are insectivores occurring in open scrubland and grassland with scattered small shrubs.
The following species are currently accepted in Saxicola:[1]
Species status possible,[2] but not yet verified:
Formerly included in Saxicola, but now treated in a separate genus:[1][3]
The genus was formerly included in the thrush family Turdidae, but as with several other related genera, has now been shown to be correctly classified in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae, in which it is most closely related to the genera Oenanthe (wheatears) and Campicoloides.[3][4]
Genetic and behavioural evidence has also resulted in several new species being accepted in the genus in recent years, most notably the splitting of the former broad "species" Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus into five species, a change now widely though not yet universally accepted. With addition of mtDNA cytochrome b sequence and nDNA fingerprinting data, it was confirmed that not only the Fuerteventura and Réunion Stonechats are distinct species, but that in addition, the African, Madagascar, European, Siberian and Stejneger's Stonechats are also all separate species.[2][5][6][7] Due to confusion of subspecies allocation, the name S. torquatus was briefly used for the European species, with the African Stonechat being incorrectly listed as S. axillaris.[5]
Owing to misunderstandings of Latin grammar, several species have in the past been widely but incorrectly cited with feminine name endings ("S. torquata, S. maura, S. leucura, S. ferrea", etc.).[8]