''Alethe'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of small mainly insectivorous birds in the Old World flycatcher family

Muscicapidae The Old World flycatchers are a large family, the Muscicapidae, of small passerine birds restricted to the Old World (Europe, Africa and Asia), with the exception of several vagrants and two species, Bluethroat (''Luscinia svecica)'' and Norther ...

that occur in West Africa. The genus was erected by the American ornithologist

John Cassin John Cassin (September 6, 1813 – January 10, 1869) was an American ornithologist from Pennsylvania. He worked as curator and Vice President at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and focused on the systemic classification of the Acade ...

in 1859. The genus was previously placed in the thrush family

Turdidae The thrushes are a passerine bird family, Turdidae, with a worldwide distribution. The family was once much larger before biologists reclassified the former subfamily Saxicolinae, which includes the chats and European robins, as Old World flycat ...

but in 2010 two separate

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

studies found that species in the genus were more closely related to members of the Old World flycatcher family. The genus contains two species: * White-tailed alethe, ''Alethe diademata'' * Fire-crested alethe, ''Alethe castanea''

Formerly in this genus

Four species formerly placed in this genus are not closely related to the type species, and have accordingly been reassigned to '' Chamaetylas'' (formerly ''Pseudalethe'').

References

Bird genera Alethe (genus) Taxa named by John Cassin {{Muscicapidae-stub