The apalises are small passerinebirds belonging to the genusApalis, in the family Cisticolidae. They are found in forest, woodlands and scrub across most parts of sub-SaharanAfrica.[2] They are slender birds with long tails and have a slender bill for catching insects. They are typically brown, grey or green above and several species have brightly coloured underparts. Males and females are usually similar in appearance but the males are sometimes brighter.[2]
The genus was erected by the English naturalist William John Swainson in 1833. The type species is the bar-throated apalis.[3][4] The name Apalis is from the Ancient Greek hapalos meaning "delicate" or "gentle".[5] Apalises were traditionally classified in the Old World warbler family Sylviidae but are now commonly placed, together with several other groups of mainly African warblers, in a separate family Cisticolidae.[6]
There are about 24 species of apalis; the exact number varies according to differing authorities. The African tailorbird and long-billed tailorbird were formerly considered to be apalises but are now often placed either with the tailorbirds (Orthotomus) or in their own genus Artisornis.[2] The red-fronted prinia or red-faced apalis has also been moved into a different genus, Prinia.[7] Further shuffling may be necessary as a recent study[8] found the genus to be polyphyletic, with two species (black-collared and Ruwenzori apalises) only distantly related to the other three tested.
Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
^Nguembock, B; Fjeldså, J.; Tillier, A.; Pasquet, E. (2007). "A phylogeny for the Cisticolidae (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and a re-interpretation of an [sic] unique nest-building specialization". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 42 (1): 272–286. Bibcode:2007MolPE..42..272N. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.07.008. PMID16949311.
^Olsson, U.; Irestedt, M.; Sangster, G.; Ericson, P.G.P.; Alström, P. (2013). "Systematic revision of the avian family Cisticolidae based on a multi-locus phylogeny of all genera". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 66 (3): 790–799. Bibcode:2013MolPE..66..790O. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.11.004. PMID23159891.
^Nguembock, B.; Fjeldså, J.; Couloux, A.; Cruaud, C.; Pasquet, E. (2008). "Polyphyly of the genus Apalis and a new generic name for the species pulchra and ruwenzorii". Ibis. 150 (4): 756–765. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.2008.00852.x.
Further reading
Ryan, Peter (2006). "Family Cisticolidae (Cisticolas and allies)". In del Hoyo J., Elliott A.; Christie D.A. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 11. Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 378–492. ISBN978-84-96553-06-4.