NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Short-tailed Grasswren
Amytornis merrotsyi Mellor, 1913
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 short-tailed grasswren (Amytornis merrotsyi) is a small passerine bird in the family Maluridae, commonly known as the Australasian wrens. It is endemic to Australia, where it has a highly restricted distribution in the arid interior of South Australia, particularly the Flinders and Gawler Ranges.
This species inhabits rocky hillsides and ranges dominated by spinifex (Triodia) grasses, typically within temperate shrubland and semi-arid environments. It is strongly associated with stony terrain and dense ground vegetation, which provide both shelter and foraging opportunities.
Wikipedia contributors, Short-tailed grasswren; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:55:01.614390+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Amytornis merrotsyi Mellor, 1913
- Name authority
- Mellor, 1913
- Common name
- Short-tailed Grasswren
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Maluridae
- Genus
- Amytornis
- 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
- familyMaluridae
- genusAmytornis Stejneger, 1885
- speciesAmytornis merrotsyi Mellor, 1913
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Amytornis. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Kalkadoon GrasswrenAmytornis ballarae Condon, 1969 | MaluridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Eyrean GrasswrenAmytornis goyderi (Gould, 1875) | MaluridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Black GrasswrenAmytornis housei (Milligan, 1902) | MaluridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Dusky GrasswrenAmytornis purnelli (Mathews, 1914) | MaluridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Striated GrasswrenAmytornis striatus (Gould, 1840) | MaluridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Western GrasswrenAmytornis textilis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) | MaluridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Sandhill GrasswrenAmytornis oweni Mathews, 1911 | MaluridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
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.
- Mellor, & John White. (1913). Description of New Grass-Wren. The Emu, Vol. 12, No. 3. 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:D9Q2. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.