Ptilopachus

Ptilopachus
Stone partridge
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Odontophoridae
Subfamily: Ptilopachinae
Bowie, Coehn & Crowe 2013
Genus: Ptilopachus
Swainson, 1837
Type species
Ptilopachus erythrorhynchus[1] = Tetrao petrosus
Swainson, 1837
Species

Stone partridge (P. petrosus)
Nahan's partridge (P. nahani)

Ptilopachus is an African genus of birds in the New World quail family.

Taxonomy

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The genus Ptilopachus was introduced in 1837 by the English naturalist William John Swainson to accommodate a single species, the stone partridge, which is therefore the type species.[2][3] The genus name is from Ancient Greek ptilon meaning "feather" with pakhus meaning "thick" or "dense".[4]

As traditionally defined, only the stone partridge was included in this genus, but based on genetic evidence, it now also includes Nahan's partridge (formerly considered a francolin). The study also concludes that this genus is more closely related to the New World quails (Odontophoridae) and might be considered their only African representative.[5][6][7]

Image Genus Common Name Distribution
P. petrosus Gmelin, 1789 Stone partridge Kenya and Ethiopia to Gambia
P. nahani (Dubois, AJC, 1905) Nahan's partridge northeastern DR Congo and western Uganda

Description

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At about 25 cm (9.8 in) in length, both are relatively small, terrestrial birds with a red eye-ring, base of the bill, and legs, and brownish upperparts.[8]

See also

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  • Donacobius, the only American species of an otherwise Old World bird lineage

References

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  1. ^ "Odontophoridae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  2. ^ Swainson, William John (1837). On the Natural History and Classification of Birds. Vol. 2. London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman and John Taylor. p. 344.
  3. ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1934). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 104.
  4. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 323. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  5. ^ Crowe, T.M.; Bowie, R.C.K.; Bloomer, P.; Mandiwana, T.G.; Hedderson, T.A.J.; Randi, E.; Pereira, S.L.; Wakeling, J. (2006). "Phylogenetics, biogeography and classification of, and character evolution in, gamebirds (Aves: Galliformes): effects of character exclusion, data partitioning and missing data". Cladistics. 22 (6): 495–532. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2006.00120.x. hdl:2263/14099. PMID 34892896.
  6. ^ Cohen, C.; Wakeling, J.L.; Mandiwana-Neudani, T.G.; Sande, E.; Dranzoa, C.; Crowe, T.M.; Bowie, R.C.K. (2012). "Phylogenetic affinities of evolutionarily enigmatic African galliforms: the Stone partridge Ptilopachus petrosus and Nahan's francolin Francolinus nahani, and support for their sister relationship with New World quails". Ibis. 154 (4): 768–780. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.2012.01269.x.
  7. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2022). "Megapodes, guans, guineafowl, New World quail". IOC World Bird List Version 12.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  8. ^ McGowan, P. J. K. (1994). Francolins (genus Francolinus). Pp. 489–504 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J. eds. (1994). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 2. New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-15-6


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