Malurus

Malurus is a genus of passerine birds in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae.

Malurus
Male superb fairywren
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Maluridae
Genus:	Malurus Vieillot, 1816
Type species
Motacilla cyanea[1] Ellis, 1782
Synonyms
Musciparus

Taxonomy

The genus Malurus was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Vieillot to accommodate a single species, Motacilla cyanea Latham, the superb fairywren. This is the type species.^[2][3] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek μαλος/malos meaning "soft" or "delicate" with ουρα/oura meaning "tail".^[4]

Species

The genus contains 12 species:^[5]

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Malurus cyanocephalus	Emperor fairywren	New Guinea
	Malurus amabilis	Lovely fairywren	North-eastern Australia
	Malurus assimilis	Purple-backed fairywren	Central and Western Australia
	Malurus lamberti	Variegated fairywren	Eastern Australia
	Malurus pulcherrimus	Blue-breasted fairywren	Southern Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia
	Malurus elegans	Red-winged fairywren	South-western corner of Western Australia
	Malurus cyaneus	Superb fairywren	Australia and lowland New Guinea
	Malurus splendens	Splendid fairywren	Central and Western Australia
	Malurus coronatus	Purple-crowned fairywren	Northern Australia
	Malurus alboscapulatus	White-shouldered fairywren	New Guinea
	Malurus melanocephalus	Red-backed fairywren	Australia
	Malurus leucopterus	White-winged fairywren	Central Queensland and South Australia across to Western Australia

Former species

Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize several additional species as belonging to the genus Malurus including:

• Wallace's fairywren (as Malurus wallacei and Malurus wallacii)^[6]
• Broad-billed fairywren (as Malurus grayi)^[7]
• Campbell's fairywren (as Malurus campbelli)^[8]