Compact weaver

{{Short description|Species of bird}} {{Speciesbox | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Ploceus superciliosus'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T22719054A94608857 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22719054A94608857.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> | image = Compact Weaver - Kibale - Uganda 06 4363 (22432186368).jpg | genus = Pachyphantes | parent_authority = Shelley, 1896 | species = superciliosus | authority = (Shelley, 1873) | synonyms = ''Ploceus superciliosus'' }}

The '''compact weaver''' ('''''Pachyphantes superciliosus''''') is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is the only species placed in the genus '''''Pachyphantes'''''. It has a highly discontinuous distribution from Senegal to Liberia, east to Ethiopia and south to Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

==Taxonomy== The compact weaver was formally described in 1873 as ''Hyphantornis superciliosus'' by the English ornithologist George Ernest Shelley based on specimens collected in West Africa.<ref>{{ cite journal | last=Shelley | first=George Ernest | author-link=George Ernest Shelley | date=1873 | title=Description of six new species of West-African birds | journal=Ibis | pages=138-143 [140-141] | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16518213 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Greenway | editor2-first=James C. Jr | year=1962 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=15 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=52 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14485425 }}</ref> The specific epithet is Latin meaning "haughty" or "eyebrowed" from ''supercilium'' meaning "eyebrow".<ref>{{ cite web | last=Jobling | first=James A. | title=superciliosus | work=The Key to Scientific Names | url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/key-to-scientific-names/search?q=superciliosus | publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology | access-date=20 November 2025 }}</ref> The compact weaver is now the only species placed in the genus ''Pachyphantes'' that was introduced for the species by Shelley in 1896.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Shelley | first=George Ernest | author-link=George Ernest Shelley | date=1896 | title=The Birds of Africa, comprising all the species which occur in the Ethiopian region | volume=1, List | location=London | publisher=R.H. Porter | page=36 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13980669 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Greenway | editor2-first=James C. Jr | year=1962 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=15 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=33 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14485406 }}</ref><ref name=avilist>{{ cite web | author=AviList Core Team | date=2025 | title=AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025 | doi=10.2173/avilist.v2025 | doi-access=free | url=http://www.avilist.org/checklist/v2025/ | access-date=20 November 2025 }}</ref> The genus name combines the Ancient Greek παχυς/''pakhus'' meaning "large" or "thick" with ὑφαντης/''huphantēs'' meaning "weaver".<ref>{{ cite web | last=Jobling | first=James A. | title=Pachyphantes | work=The Key to Scientific Names | url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/key-to-scientific-names/search?q=Pachyphantes | publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology | access-date=20 November 2025 }}</ref> A molecular genetic study of the weaverbirds published in 2017 found that the compact weaver was sister to clade containing the fodies in the genus ''Foudia''.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=De Silva | first1=T.N. | last2=Peterson | first2=A.T. | last3=Bates | first3=J.M. | last4=Fernando | first4=S.W. | last5=Girard | first5=M.G. | date=2017 | title=Phylogenetic relationships of weaverbirds (Aves: Ploceidae): A first robust phylogeny based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=109 | pages=21-32 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2016.12.013 | url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311908775 }}</ref> The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.<ref name=avilist/>

== Distribution and habitat == Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://weavers.adu.org.za/sp.php?spp=3830 Compact weaver] - Species text in Weaver Watch.

Category:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa compact weaver Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot