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Painted honeyeater
The painted honeyeater (Grantiella picta) is a species of honeyeater in a monotypic genus.
A member of the family Meliphagidae, Grantiella picta is the sole species under this genus. The painted honeyeater was first described in 1838 by Gould and given the name Entomophila picta, but it was renamed Grantiella picta in 1911 by Mathews.
It took another sixty years from its initial description before details of its eggs, habits, and distribution began to be investigated and recorded. Its genus name is in reference to Robert Grant, a Scottish-born taxidermist and collector, while the species name originates from the Latin word for painted, pictus, and refers to the yellow markings on the feathers of its tail and wings.
DNA sequencing has helped in organising genera within the family Meliphagidae into four main clades, which show relationships between species. However, a shortage in sampling and statistical analysis has led to some branches within the clades being more strongly linked than others.
A study conducted by Driskell and Christidis suggested that Grantiella is in the fourth clade and has associations with Plectorhyncha and Xanthotis. The relationship reported between Grantiella and Plectorhyncha was an unexpected discovery, due to their morphological differences; their similarity in nest-building behaviour was previously not enough to infer that the two species may be closely linked.
Several findings in the study by Driskell and Christidis have since been questioned in a more recent study on the DNA within the family Meliphagidae, but Grantiella picta was not one of the species investigated further.
Weighing around 20-25g, the painted honeyeater is a small bird that is approximately 16 cm in length, with a similar wingspan. Of the total length, the tail averages about 5.5 cm long and the bill 1.3 cm.
The face, crown and upper parts of the body (including the scapulars, nape and rump) on adult male birds are black, with small white spots located on either side of the head. The underside of the body, consisting of the chin, throat, breast and belly, as well as the underside of the tail, is white. Black spots may be present in amongst the white feathers of the flanks, breast and belly.
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Painted honeyeater
The painted honeyeater (Grantiella picta) is a species of honeyeater in a monotypic genus.
A member of the family Meliphagidae, Grantiella picta is the sole species under this genus. The painted honeyeater was first described in 1838 by Gould and given the name Entomophila picta, but it was renamed Grantiella picta in 1911 by Mathews.
It took another sixty years from its initial description before details of its eggs, habits, and distribution began to be investigated and recorded. Its genus name is in reference to Robert Grant, a Scottish-born taxidermist and collector, while the species name originates from the Latin word for painted, pictus, and refers to the yellow markings on the feathers of its tail and wings.
DNA sequencing has helped in organising genera within the family Meliphagidae into four main clades, which show relationships between species. However, a shortage in sampling and statistical analysis has led to some branches within the clades being more strongly linked than others.
A study conducted by Driskell and Christidis suggested that Grantiella is in the fourth clade and has associations with Plectorhyncha and Xanthotis. The relationship reported between Grantiella and Plectorhyncha was an unexpected discovery, due to their morphological differences; their similarity in nest-building behaviour was previously not enough to infer that the two species may be closely linked.
Several findings in the study by Driskell and Christidis have since been questioned in a more recent study on the DNA within the family Meliphagidae, but Grantiella picta was not one of the species investigated further.
Weighing around 20-25g, the painted honeyeater is a small bird that is approximately 16 cm in length, with a similar wingspan. Of the total length, the tail averages about 5.5 cm long and the bill 1.3 cm.
The face, crown and upper parts of the body (including the scapulars, nape and rump) on adult male birds are black, with small white spots located on either side of the head. The underside of the body, consisting of the chin, throat, breast and belly, as well as the underside of the tail, is white. Black spots may be present in amongst the white feathers of the flanks, breast and belly.
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