Booby

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Booby
Temporal range: Miocene (Langhian) – recent [1]
Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) -one leg raised.jpg
Blue-footed booby displaying by raising a foot
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Suliformes
Family: Sulidae
Genus: Sula
Brisson, 1760
Type species
Pelecanus leucogaster
Boddaert, 1783

Red-footed booby (Sula sula)

Brown booby (Sula leucogaster)

Masked booby (Sula dactylatra)

Nazca booby (Sula granti)

Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii)

Peruvian booby (Sula variegata)

Cladogram showing the species in the genus Sula. [2]

A booby is a seabird in the genus Sula, part of the family Sulidae. Boobies are closely related to the gannets (Morus), which were formerly included in Sula.

Contents

Systematics and evolution

The genus Sula was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760. [3] The type species is the brown booby. [4] The name is derived from súla, the Old Norse and Icelandic word for the other member of the family Sulidae, the gannet. [5]

The English name "booby" was possibly based on the Spanish slang term bobo, meaning "stupid", [6] as these tame birds had a habit of landing on board sailing ships, where they were easily captured and eaten. Owing to this, boobies are often mentioned as having been caught and eaten by shipwrecked sailors, notably William Bligh of the Bounty and his adherents during their famous voyage after being set adrift by Fletcher Christian and his followers.

Six of the ten extant Sulidae species called boobies are in the genus Sula, while the three gannet species are usually placed in the genus Morus . [7] Abbott's booby was formerly included in Sula but is now placed in a monotypic genus Papasula, which represents an ancient lineage perhaps closer to Morus. Some authorities consider that all ten species should be considered congeneric in Sula. However, they are readily distinguished by means of osteology. The distinct lineages of gannets and boobies are known to have existed in such form, since at least the Middle Miocene, c.15  mya. [8]

The fossil record of boobies is not as well documented as that of gannets, either because booby speciation was lower from the late Miocene to the Pliocene (when gannet diversity was at its highest), or because the booby fossil species record is as yet incomplete, due to most localities being in continental North America or Europe despite boobies' more tropical distribution.

Behaviour

Boobies hunt fish by diving from a height into the sea and pursuing their prey underwater. Facial air sacs under their skin cushion the impact with the water. Boobies are colonial breeders on islands and coasts. They normally lay one or more chalky-blue eggs on the ground or sometimes in a tree nest. Selective pressures, likely through competition for resource, have shaped the ecomorphology and foraging behaviours of the six species of boobies in the Pacific. [9]

List of species

Genus Sula Brisson, 1760 – six species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Blue-footed booby

Blue-footed-booby.jpg

Sula nebouxii
Milne-Edwards, 1882

Two subspecies
  • S. n. nebouxii Milne-Edwards, 1882 – Pacific coast of Southern and Middle America
  • S. n. excisa Todd, 1948 – Galápagos Islands
Gulf of California down along the western coasts of Central and South America down to Peru
Blaufusstoelpel (Sula nebouxii) world2.png
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


[10]

Brown booby

Weissbauchtoelpel.jpg

Sula leucogaster
(Boddaert, 1783)

Four subspecies
  • S. l. leucogaster(Boddaert, 1783) – Caribbean and Atlantic Islands
  • S. l. brewsteriNathaniel Stickney Goss, 1888 – Pacific coasts of USA and Mexico
  • S. l. etesiaca Thayer & Bangs, 1905 – Pacific coasts of Central America and Colombia
  • S. l. plotus(Forster, JR, 1844) – Red Sea through the Indian Ocean to the west and central Pacific
islands and coasts in the pantropical areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
Sula leucogaster, verspreidingskaart met subspp, a.png
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


[11]

Masked booby

Starr 080606-6808 Coronopus didymus.jpg

Sula dactylatra
Lesson, 1831

Foursubspecies
  • S. d. dactylatraLesson, 1831
  • S. d. melanopsHartlaub, 1859
  • S. d. tasmanivan Tets, Meredith, Fullagar & Davidson, 1988
  • S. d. personataGould, 1846
islands in tropical oceans
Suladactylatrargemap.png
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


[12]

Nazca booby

Nazca-Booby.jpg

Sula granti
Rothschild, 1902
eastern Pacific from the islands in Baja California to the Galapagos islands and the Isla de la Plata in Ecuador and Malpelo in Colombia
Sula granti map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


[13]

Peruvian booby

Fou.varie1.jpg

Sula variegata
(Tschudi, 1843)
Peru
Sula variegata map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


[14]

Red-footed booby

Sula sula by Gregg Yan 01.jpg

Sula sula
(Linnaeus, 1766)

Three subspecies
  • S. s. sula (Linnaeus, 1766) – Caribbean and southwest Atlantic islands
  • S. s. rubripes Gould, 1838 – tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans
  • S. s. websteri Rothschild, 1898 – eastern central Pacific
Sri Lanka, Christmas Island, eastern central Pacific
Sula sula map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


[15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulidae</span> Family of birds

The bird family Sulidae comprises the gannets and boobies. Collectively called sulids, they are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and similar prey. The 10 species in this family are often considered congeneric in older sources, placing all in the genus Sula. However, Sula and Morus (gannets) can be readily distinguished by morphological, behavioral, and DNA sequence characters. Abbott's booby (Papasula) is given its own genus, as it stands apart from both in these respects. It appears to be a distinct and ancient lineage, maybe closer to the gannets than to the true boobies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown booby</span> Species of bird

The brown booby is a large seabird of the booby family Sulidae, of which it is perhaps the most common and widespread species. It has a pantropical range, which overlaps with that of other booby species. The gregarious brown booby commutes and forages at low height over inshore waters. Flocks plunge-dive to take small fish, especially when these are driven near the surface by their predators. They nest only on the ground, and roost on solid objects rather than the water surface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-footed booby</span> Species of bird

The red-footed booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. Adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings. They are found widely in the tropics, and breed colonially in coastal regions, especially islands. The species faces few natural or man-made threats, although its population is declining; it is considered to be a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape gannet</span> Species of diving seabird

The Cape gannet is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae.

<i>Grus</i> (genus) Genus of birds

Grus is a genus of large birds in the crane family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nazca booby</span> Species of bird

The Nazca booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae, native to the eastern Pacific. First described by Walter Rothschild in 1902, it was long considered a subspecies of the masked booby until recognised as distinct genetically and behaviorally in 2002. It has a typical sulid body shape, with a long pointed orange-yellow bill, long neck, aerodynamic body, long slender wings and pointed tail. The adult is bright white with black and white wings, a black tail and a dark face mask.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hair-crested drongo</span> Species of bird

The hair-crested drongo is an Asian bird of the family Dicruridae. This species was formerly considered conspecific with Dicrurus bracteatus, for which the name "spangled drongo" – formerly used for both – is now usually reserved. Some authorities include the Sumatran drongo in D. hottentottus as subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slate-coloured grosbeak</span> Species of bird

The slate-coloured grosbeak is a species of grosbeak in the family Thraupidae. Most of its range is the Amazon in South America, but it is also found in forests of the Chocó in Ecuador and Colombia, and southern Central America from Panama to Honduras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-tailed vanga</span> Species of bird

The red-tailed vanga is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is endemic to Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spangled cotinga</span> Species of bird

The spangled cotinga is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae, the cotingas. It is found in the canopy of the Amazon Rainforest in South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plum-throated cotinga</span> Species of bird

The plum-throated cotinga is a species of bird in the family Cotingidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical swamps, and heavily degraded former forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balicassiao</span> Species of bird

The balicassiao is a species of passerine bird in the family Dicruridae. It is endemic to the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-sided euphonia</span> Species of bird

The golden-sided euphonia is a species of bird in the family Fringillidae. It is found in northern Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and eastern Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pied triller</span> Species of bird

The pied triller is a species of bird in the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae. It is found in Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-crested flycatcher</span> Species of bird

The short-crested flycatcher is a species of bird in the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty-margined flycatcher</span> Species of bird

The rusty-margined flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous vanga</span> Species of bird

The rufous vanga is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is monotypic within the genus Schetba. It is endemic to Madagascar, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hook-billed vanga</span> Species of bird

The hook-billed vanga is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suliformes</span> Order of birds

The order Suliformes is an order recognised by the International Ornithologist's Union. In regard to the recent evidence that the traditional Pelecaniformes is polyphyletic, it has been suggested that the group be divided to reflect the true evolutionary relationships; a 2017 study indicated that they are most closely related to Otidiformes (bustards) and Ciconiiformes (storks).

References

  1. "Sula Brisson 1760 (booby)". PBDB. Archived from the original on 2021-08-08. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
  2. Patterson, S.A.; Morris-Pocock, J.A.; Friesen, V.L (2011). "A multilocus phylogeny of the Sulidae (Aves: Pelecaniformes)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 58 (2): 181–191. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2010.11.021. PMID   21144905.
  3. Brisson, Mathurin Jacques (1760). Ornithologie, ou, Méthode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, especes & leurs variétés (in French and Latin). Vol. 1. Paris: Jean-Baptiste Bauche. Vol. 1 p. 60, Vol. 6 p.494.
  4. Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1979). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 181. Archived from the original on 2021-08-08. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  5. "Sula, n." . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  6. "booby, n." . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  7. Friesen, V. L.; Anderson, D. J.; Steeves, T.E.; Jones, H.; Schreiber, E.A. (2002). "Molecular support for species status of the Nazca Booby". The Auk. 119 (3): 820–826. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2002)119[0820:MSFSSO]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   82903466.
  8. Olson, Storrs L. (1985). "The Fossil Record of Birds (Section X.G.5.a Sulidae)". In Farner, D.S.; King, D.S.; Parkes, K.C. (eds.). Avian Biology. Vol. 8. New York: Academic Press. pp. 79–238 [203–204]. hdl:10088/6553. Archived from the original on 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
  9. van Oordt, F.; Torres-Mura, J. C.; Hertel, F. (2018). "Ecomorphology and foraging behaviour of Pacific boobies". Ibis. 160 (2): 313–326. doi:10.1111/ibi.12545.
  10. BirdLife International (2018). "Sula nebouxii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22696683A132588719. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22696683A132588719.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  11. BirdLife International (2018). "Sula leucogaster". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22696698A132590197. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22696698A132590197.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  12. BirdLife International (2018). "Sula dactylatra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22736173A132666363. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22736173A132666363.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  13. BirdLife International (2018). "Sula granti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22728990A132659882. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22728990A132659882.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  14. BirdLife International (2018). "Sula variegata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22696686A132589026. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22696686A132589026.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  15. BirdLife International (2018). "Sula sula". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22696694A132589278. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22696694A132589278.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.