Spermestes

Spermestes
	Bronze mannikin (Spermestes cucullata)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Estrildidae
Genus:	Spermestes; Swainson, 1837
Type species
	Spermestes cucullata; bronze mannikin; Swainson, 1837
Species
	See text

Spermestes is a genus of small seed-eating birds in the family Estrildidae. They are distributed across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Taxonomy[edit]

The genus Spermestes was introduced in 1837 by the English naturalist William John Swainson to accommodate the bronze mannikin.^[1] The name combines the Ancient Greek sperma meaning "seed" and -estēs meaning "-eater".^[2]

Based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2020, this genus was resurrected for a clade of species that were formerly assigned to the genera Lonchura and Odontospiza.^[3]^[4]

Species[edit]

The genus contains four species:^[4]

Common Name	Scientific name	Distribution
Grey-headed silverbill	Spermestes griseicapilla	eastern Africa
Bronze mannikin	Spermestes cucullata	Africa south of the Sahara Desert
Magpie mannikin	Spermestes fringilloides	Sub-Saharan Africa
Black-and-white mannikin	Spermestes bicolor	African tropical rainforest

References[edit]

^ Swainson, William John (1837). On the Natural History and Classification of Birds. Vol. 2. London: John Taylor. p. 280.
^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 361. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
^ Olsson, Urban; Alström, Per (2020). "A comprehensive phylogeny and taxonomic evaluation of the waxbills (Aves: Estrildidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 146: 106757. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106757.
^ ^a ^b Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2023). "Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits". IOC World Bird List Version 13.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 February 2023.

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[1] Swainson, William John (1837). On the Natural History and Classification of Birds. Vol. 2. London: John Taylor. p. 280.

[2] Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 361. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.

[3] Olsson, Urban; Alström, Per (2020). "A comprehensive phylogeny and taxonomic evaluation of the waxbills (Aves: Estrildidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 146: 106757. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106757.

[ioc-4] Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2023). "Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits". IOC World Bird List Version 13.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 February 2023.

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