Dinopium
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Orange Woodpecker ( Dinopium benghalense ), male |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Dinopium | ||||||||||
| Rafinesque , 1814 |
Dinopium is a genus of birds in the family of the woodpeckers (Picidae). The genus includes four species, which are medium-sized and have a contrasting color and inhabit parts of South and Southeast Asia. In terms of color and habit, the species are very similar to the even more variable genus Chrysocolaptes . These similarities go so far that sympatric subspecies of the two genera each have similar coloring variants. However, according to molecular genetic studies, thegenera Dinopium and Chrysocolaptes arenot closely related; the reasons for these similarities are not yet known. The representatives of the genus Dinopium inhabit different forest types from closed evergreen rainforest to pine forests and open, dry woodland, depending on the species. As far as is known, the food that is mainly sought on trees consists mainly of ants and their pupae, larvae of other wood-dwelling insects and other arthropods .
The olive-backed woodpecker ( Dinopium rafflesii ) is listed by the IUCN as a species on the early warning list ("near threatened") due to the destruction of the original rainforests that it mainly inhabits, the other three species of the genus are classified as not endangered ("least concern") .
description
The four species are medium-sized woodpeckers with a pronounced feather bonnet, a rather soft, long and slightly downwardly curved tail and a short to medium-long, point- to chisel-shaped, pointed beak that is narrow at the base. The ridge of the beak is bent downwards. The nostrils are only partially covered by feathers. The species have three or four toes, the first toe is very short and reduced or completely absent, the fourth (outer) toe is slightly shorter than the two front toes. Overall, these woodpeckers are rich in contrasts and variable in color, with green, red and gold tones that are combined with black and white plumage. The species also show a clear sexual dimorphism in terms of color ; in males at least the upper head and bonnet are red, in females these parts are at least partly black and white like the rest of the head. In one species, the color of the beard differs between the sexes.
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In terms of color and habit, the species are very similar to the even more variable genus Chrysocolaptes . These similarities go so far that sympatric subspecies of the two genera each have similar coloring variants.
Systematics
The genus includes four species:
- Olive-backed woodpecker ( Dinopium rafflesii ) ( Vigors , 1830)
- Himalayan fire-backed woodpecker ( Dinopium shorii ) ( Vigors , 1832)
- Fire-backed woodpecker ( Dinopium javanense ) ( Ljungh , 1797)
- Orange woodpecker ( Dinopium benghalense ) ( Linnaeus , 1758)
According to a molecular genetic investigation including one of the four species ( Dinopium javanense ), the genus Dinopium is not closely related to the genus Chrysocolaptes , despite the sometimes very large similarities in color and habit . According to this study, the sister taxon of the genus Dinopium are the bamboo woodpeckers ( Gecinulus ). A molecular genetic investigation including all species of the genus is still pending.
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ Dinopium rafflesii in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010.4. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ↑ Dinopium shorii in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010.4. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ↑ Dinopium javanense in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010.4. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ↑ Dinopium benghalense in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010.4. Listed by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ↑ Jérôme Fuchs, Jan I. Ohlson, Per GP Ericson, Eric Pasquet: Synchronous intercontinental splits between assemblages of woodpeckers suggested by molecular data. Zoologica Scripta 36, No. 1, 2007: pp. 11-25
literature
- Hans Winkler , David Christie and David Nurney: Woodpeckers. A Guide to the Woodpeckers, Piculets, and Wrynecks of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge 1995, ISBN 0-395-72043-5 , pp. 12, 20, 152-153 and 372-377.
