Aechmophorus
| Aechmophorus | ||||||||||
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Racing diver ( Aechmophorus occidentalis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Aechmophorus | ||||||||||
| Coues , 1862 |
Aechmophorus is a bird genus from the family of grebes . The genus consists of only two species, the racing diver ( Aechmophorus occidentalis ) and the Clark diver ( Aechmophorus clarkii ). Fossil also has Aechmophorus elasson , an extinct species from the late Pliocene known.
features
The two recent species were described separately in the same work by George Newbold Lawrence in 1858 as Podiceps occidentalis and Podiceps clarkii , but he pointed out the great similarity of the two new species. He saw differences primarily in the shape of the beak, in the coloration of certain parts of the plumage and in the area of distribution.
distribution
The racing diver is native to the North American Pacific coast of the USA further north than the Clark diver. It occurs in Canada and the USA from the state of Washington to California , the Clark diver is common in southern California and New Mexico , and its range extends to Mexico .
Taxonomy
In 1862 Elliott Coues put the two closely related species Renntaucher and Clarktaucher in a separate genus with the name Aechmophorus . The name is composed of originally Greek words and means spear bearer. Coues wanted to point out the pointed beak of the two grebes. The discussion about clear distinguishing features for the two species is still ongoing. It has been expanded to include skeletal analyzes and descriptions of the behavior of the two species.
Individual evidence
- ^ Bradley C. Livezey & Robert W. Storer: Morphometric Comparison of Skeletons of the Western Grebe Complex Aechmophorus of the United States and Canada. Condor, 94, 3, pp. 668-679, 1992 doi : 10.2307 / 1369251 PDF
- ↑ Gary L. Nuechterlein & Deborah P. Buitron: Diving Differences between Western and Clark's Grebes. Auk, 106, 3 pp. 467-470, 1989 PDF
literature
- SF Baird, J. Cassin, GN Lawrence: Birds . In: SF Baird, S. Fullerton. J. Cassin & GN Lawrence (Eds.): Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Vol. 9, part 2, pp. 894–895, US-War Dept., Washington DC 1858 (first description of the two species)
- E. Coues: Synopsis of the North American forms of the Colymbidae and Podicipidae. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, pp. 226-233, 1862
