The Aplonis Starlings of the Solomon Islands

Abstract

The Solomon Islands are very well represented by the Starling family. There are only three genera present, one of which is introduced, but numerous species. The genus Aplonis has a greater abundance of species in the region than any other. Depending on the taxonomy followed there are no less than ten forms, which the author feels should all be recognised as individual species. This paper gives some unpublished data concerning these forms, and attempts to explain how so many different species can coexist in these islands, whereas on the New Guinea mainland only two species occur over the major portion of the island with a very locally distributed third species confined to two major river basins.