Posted on behalf of Katrina Charles, BA Media Fellow

Ornithologists have identified a new species of bird, the olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus), which has been published in Zootaxa (paper / press release).

The robin was found by scientists from the Smithsonian Institution’s Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity Program during a study in the Gamba Complex in south western Gabon, part of a collaboration with Shell International to develop “a more environmentally friendly approach to resource development and extraction, while promoting the conservation of biodiversity” (paper).

They first found the robin in 2001, but mistook it for a juvenile of a recognised species. But when they had a chance to compare it with other specimens in the collection of the National Museum of Natural History they realized it might be unique.

They have now confirmed their discovery with genetic tests, and in doing so have identified another wrongly identified specimen from 1953 at the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris. It was “doubtfully assigned” by to a different species by Berlioz in his 1954 paper in the Bulletin du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, despite it having different colouring.

“Berlioz’s bewilderment is understandable now that we know this specimen is actually a member of the new species,” write the researchers.

Brian Schmidt, the research ornithologist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History who brought the specimen back from Gabon said: “Although finding an unknown species like the olive-backed forest robin was not the goal of the MAB project it is definitely a reminder that the world still holds surprises for us.”

The press release says, “Discovering an unknown mammal or bird species is far from a common event.”

Those who have read Nick Sly’s June blog post ‘New species in 2008’ might disagree…

Image: Carlton Ward