Olive-backed Forest-robin

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Other specimens — Only one other S. pyrrholaemus specimen has been identified outside the type series. A juvenile unsexed skin at the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris (NMHN 1954 - 56) was collected by P. Rougeot on 11 Nov 1953 in Tchibanga, Gabon. Identification was confirmed using ancient DNA techniques (see phylogenetic relationships section below). Berlioz (1954) noted that the upperparts were a deep olive brown (brun olivâtre foncé) and the entire underparts strongly tinted yellow (fortement teinté de jaune), with an intense but poorly defined area of russet (roussâtre) on the breast. The yellow on the specimen has obviously faded since Berlioz’s description as the underparts are currently white with a hint of yellow and the breast a dull russet. The throat is slightly more yellow than the underparts and the feathers are sparsely tipped gray which is usually a juvenile trait. Likewise, the olive gray wing coverts and tertials have light brown tips giving a spotted appearance which is also a juvenile trait in this genus. The forehead, crown, and nape are lighter gray than in adults and lacking the olive wash. The white loral spot is not as prominent as in adult birds. Berlioz doubtfully assigned it to S. xanthogaster because of its strongly yellowish underparts, but believed that this coloration could have been a juvenile trait as in some other thrushes. He also remarked that if this specimen were actually xanthogaster, it would be “ paradoxical ” to find the subspecies with yellow underparts known from southeast Cameroon, instead of that with a white abdomen known from western Cameroon and Gabon. Berlioz’s (1954) bewilderment is understandable now that we know this specimen is actually a member of the new species.