Eurypygiformes
| Eurypygiformes | ||||||||||
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Sun rail ( Eurypyga helias ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Eurypygiformes | ||||||||||
| Hackett et al., 2008 |
The Eurypygiformes are an order of birds established on the basis of molecular genetic studies, to which only two recent species belong, the kagu ( Rhynochetos jubatus ) and the sun rail ( Eurypyga helias ). The kagu lives exclusively on the island of New Caledonia , the sun rail occurs in tropical rainforests in Central and South America . Both birds grow to a length of about half a meter, feed on carnivorous invertebrates and small vertebrates and live in permanent monogamy .
Systematics
Kagu and sun rail are in their own monogeneric families (Rhynochetidae and Eurypygidae), which were traditionally assigned to the crane birds (Gruiformes). Within the crane birds, the closer relationship was always controversial. Recently there has been increasing evidence that the kagu and sun rail are sister species , but have nothing in common with the crane birds or any other bird order.
The assignment to the new order Eurypygiformes was recognized in 2009 by the International Ornithological Committee and the American Ornithologists' Union .
Possibly the fossil genera Messelornis and Aptornis must also be assigned to the Eurypygiformes. The kagu and the sun rail are perhaps the last remnants of what was once a much larger clade of birds that spread across Gondwana and was separated by the drifting apart of the continents.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Per GP Ericson et al .: Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils . Biol. Lett. doi : 10.1098 / rsbl.2006.0523
- ↑ Hackett et al .: A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History . Science 27 June 2008: Vol. 320. no. 5884, pp. 1763–1768 doi : 10.1126 / science.1157704
- ^ Frank Gill and Minturn Wright: Birds of the World. Recommended English Names. Princeton University Press, 2006, ISBN 0713679042
- ↑ WorldBirdNames.org IOC World Bird List ( Memento of the original from May 22, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ AOU Committee on Classification and Nomenclature (North & Middle America) Proposals 2008-C (PDF; 109 kB)
- ↑ Bradley C. Livecey: A phylogenetic analysis of the Gruiformes (Aves) based on morphological characters, with an emphasis on the rails (Rallidae). Philosophical Trans. Royal Society London B (1998) 353, pp. 2077-2151 doi : 10.1098 / rstb.1998.0353
- ^ Alan Feduccia: The Origin and Evolution of the Birds. 2nd ed., Yale University Press, New Haven / London, 1999, ISBN 0300078617 doi : 10.1098 / rstb.1998.0353
Web links
- WorldBirdNames.org IOC World Bird List