Family Muscicapidae Scientific name Sheppardia aurantiithorax Rank Species | Class Aves Genus Sheppardia Phylum Chordata Order Passerine | |
Similar Usambara akalat, Gabela akalat, Mountain robin‑chat, Congo moor chat, Forest scrub robin | ||
The Rubeho akalat (Sheppardia aurantiithorax) is a member of the Old World flycatcher family, (Muscicapiidae), known from the Eastern Arc of Tanzania. Akalats trapped in 1989 here were assumed to be an isolated population of Iringa akalat which occurs c. 150 km to the south, but further specimens collected in 2000 led to the description of the bird as a new species. The bird's English name relates to its type locality, Rubeho, Morogoro; the scientific name to the ochraceous colour on its throat and upper breast.
The species is thought to be fairly common in montane forests within its small range, but its very limited distribution has let to it being classified as Endangered species in the 2008 IUCN Red List.
References
Rubeho akalat Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA