Dark newtonia

The dark newtonia (Newtonia amphichroa) is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is endemic to northeastern Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Dark newtonia
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Vangidae
Genus:	Newtonia
Species:	N. amphichroa
Binomial name
Newtonia amphichroa Reichenow, 1891

Taxonomy

The dark newtonia was formally described in 1891 by the German ornithologist Anton Reichenow under the current binomial name Newtonia amphichroa based on a specimen collected in southern Madagascar.^[2][3] The specific epithet combines the Ancient Greek αμφι/amphi meaning "on all sides" with χροα/khroa, χροας/khroas meaning "appearance" or "colour".^[4]

Two subspecies are recognised:^[5]

• N. a. amphichroa Reichenow, 1891 – montane north Madagascar
• N. a. lavarambo Goodman, Younger, Raherilalao & Reddy, 2018 – montane south Madagascar

The subspecies N. a. lavarambo was described in 2018 as a full species,^[6] but is currently treated as a subspecies of the dark newtonia by taxonomic authorities.^[5][7][8]