Meliphaga is a
genus of birds in the honeyeater family
Meliphagidae.
The genus was introduced by the English artist
John Lewin in 1808.[2] The name Meliphaga combines the
Ancient Greekmeli meaning "honey" and phagos meaning eating.[3] The
type species is Lewin's honeyeater (Meliphaga lewinii).[4][5]
The genus formerly included additional species. When
molecular phylogenetic studies found that Meliphaga contained two distinct clades, the genus was split and most of the species were moved to the resurrected genus Microptilotis leaving just three species in Meliphaga.[6][7][8]
References
^"Melaphagidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
^
abGill, Frank; Donsker, David;
Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020).
"Honeyeaters". IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
^Andersen, M.J.; McCullough, J.M.; Friedman, N.R.; Peterson, A.T.; Moyle, R.G.; Joseph, L.; Nyári, A.S. (2019). "Ultraconserved elements resolve genus-level relationships in a major Australasian bird radiation (Aves: Meliphagidae)". Emu. 119 (3): 218–232.
doi:
10.1080/01584197.2019.1595662.
S2CID150056949.