NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Mongolian Lark
Melanocorypha mongolica (Pallas, 1776)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Mongolian lark (Melanocorypha mongolica) is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found from southern Russia and Mongolia to central China.
The Mongolian lark is known for its elaborate singing and even well into adulthood, is able to learn new songs. While female Mongolian larks don't sing, they have noteworthy song control nuclei with strong connectivity. Male Mongolian larks have large song bouts and song phrases that allow them to have extremely large song control nuclei.
It is an indicator species for avian biodiversity in the Mongolian steppes.
It is most often seen alone.
Its predators include the Saker Falcon.
Wikipedia contributors, Mongolian lark; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T04:07:14.208973+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Melanocorypha mongolica (Pallas, 1776)
- Name authority
- (Pallas, 1776)
- Common name
- Mongolian Lark
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Alaudidae
- Genus
- Melanocorypha
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderPasseriformes
- familyAlaudidae Vigors, 1825
- genusMelanocorypha F. Boie, 1828
- speciesMelanocorypha mongolica (Pallas, 1776)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Melanocorypha. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Bimaculated LarkMelanocorypha bimaculata (Ménétriés, 1832) | AlaudidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Calandra LarkMelanocorypha calandra (Linnaeus, 1766) | AlaudidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Tibetan LarkMelanocorypha maxima Blyth, 1867 | AlaudidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Black LarkMelanocorypha yeltoniensis (J. R. Forster, 1768) | AlaudidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Alauda mongolica Pallas, 1776 Pallas, 1776 | synonym |
| Melanocorypha mongolica mongolica (Pallas, 1776) (Pallas, 1776) | synonym |
| Melanocorypha mongolica emancipata Meise, 1933 Meise, 1933 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Southern Asia
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=561041 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3Z8CZ. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.