Vanikoro island thrush (Turdus vanikorensis), also known as the Vanuatu island thrush,[1] is a species of passerine in the family Turdidae. It is found in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and formerly New Caledonia.[1] Until 2024, it was considered to be multiple subspecies of island thrush.
Taxonomy
The Vanikoro island thrush was first described as Turdus vanikorensis in 1832 by French naturalists Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard.[1] It was later considered to be a subspecies of Island thrush. Following a 2023 phylogenic study,[2] the island thrush was split into 17 different species, including the Vanikoro island thrush by the IOC and Clements checklist.[3][4]
There are currently eight recognized subspecies:[1]
T. v. vanikorensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 - Found on the islands of Vanikoro and Santa Cruz in the Solomon Islands, and Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu
