The pale-blue monarch was originally described in the genus
Myiagra and then classified as
subspecies of the widespread
black-naped monarch,
Hypothymis azurea, until split by the IOC in 2013 to describe a new species. Some other authourities have not yet adopted this species split. The alternate name
Moluccan monarch should not be confused with the species of the same name,
Symposiachrus bimaculatus. Additional alternate names for the pale-blue monarch include
Pacific monarch (a name shared with the
buff-bellied monarch),
Pacific small monarch and
small monarch.
Subspecies Two subspecies are recognized: •
H. p. puella - (
Wallace, 1863): Found on
Sulawesi and adjacent islands •
H. p. blasii -
Hartert, 1898: Found in the
Banggai archipelago. ==Behaviour and ecology==