Schetba rufa (Linnaeus, 1766)

Taxonomic Classification

The rufous vanga (binomial name Schetba rufa) is a bird species that belongs to the Vangidae family. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Schetba, and it is endemic to Madagascar.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

Initial Description by Brisson

In 1760, French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson published a description of the rufous vanga in his work Ornithologie, based on a specimen collected from Madagascar. Brisson used the French name La pie-griesche rousse de Madagascar and the Latin name Lanius Madagascariensis rufus.

Nomenclature Status of Brisson's Names

The Latin names Brisson created do not follow the binomial system, and they are not recognized by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.

Linnaeus' Treatment of the Species

In 1766, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for its twelfth edition, adding 240 species that Brisson had previously described, including the rufous vanga. Linnaeus wrote a brief description of the species, coined the valid binomial name Lanius rufus, and cited Brisson’s earlier work.

Genus Establishment

Today, the rufous vanga is the only species in the genus Schetba, which was introduced by French naturalist René Lesson in 1831.

Recognized Subspecies

Two subspecies of Schetba rufa are currently recognized: the nominotypical subspecies S. r. rufa (Linnaeus, 1766), found in northern and eastern Madagascar, and S. r. occidentalis Delacour, 1931, found in western Madagascar.