Ramphastos

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Ramphastos
Choco toucan.jpg
Choco toucan
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Ramphastidae
Genus: Ramphastos
Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Ramphastos erythrorhynchus = Ramphastos tucanus
Gmelin, 1788
Species

See text.

Synonyms
  • Rhamphastos

The Ramphastos genus, also known as toucans, is a genus of brightly colored, tropical birds that are found throughout Central and South America from Southern Mexico to the southern cone of the South American continent. Toucans are typically characterized by their large, colorful bills, which are used for a variety of functions such as thermoregulation, feeding, and social signaling.

Contents

Taxonomy

The genus Ramphastos was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae . [1] The name is from Ancient Greek ῥαμφηστης/rhamphēstēs meaning "snouted" (from ῥαμφη/rhampē meaning "bill"). [2] The type species was later designated by Nicholas Aylward Vigors as the white-throated toucan (Ramphastos tucanus). [3] [4]

Species

The genus contains eight species: [5]

Genus Ramphastos Linnaeus, 1758 – eight species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Red-breasted toucan

Tucano do bico verde - Aracari.jpg

Ramphastos dicolorus
Linnaeus, 1766
Eastern Brazil, Pantanal of Bolivia, eastern Paraguay and far north-eastern Argentina
Ramphastos dicolorus map.svg
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 LC 


Channel-billed toucan

Ramphastos vitellinus -Brazil-8.jpg

Ramphastos vitellinus
Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823

Three subspecies
  • Yellow-ridged toucan (R. v. culminatus) - (Gould, 1833):
  • R. v. vitellinus - Lichtenstein, 1823
  • Ariel toucan (R. v. ariel) - Vigors, 1826
Trinidad and in tropical South America as far south as southern Brazil and central Bolivia
Ramphastos vitellinus range.png
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 LC 


Citron-throated toucan

Ramphastos vitellinus citreolaemus 3.jpg

Ramphastos citreolaemus
Gould, 1844
Northern Colombia and north-western VenezuelaSize:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Choco toucan

Choco toucan.jpg

Ramphastos brevis
Meyer de Schauensee,, 1945
Chocó forests in western Ecuador and western Colombia
Ramphastos brevis range.png
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 LC 


Keel-billed toucan

Rainbow-billed toucan.jpg

Ramphastos sulfuratus
Lesson, 1830

Two subspecies
  • R. s. sulfuratus Lesson, 1830
  • R. s. brevicarinatus Gould, 1854
Southern Mexico to Venezuela and Colombia
Ramphastos sulfuratus range.png
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 NT 


Toco toucan

Toco toucan in a forest.jpg

Ramphastos toco
Statius Müller, 1776

Two subspecies
Northern and eastern Bolivia, extreme south-eastern Peru, northern Argentina, eastern and central Paraguay, eastern and southern Brazil
Glauco area.png
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 LC 


White-throated toucan

Tucano-de-papo-branco.jpg

Ramphastos tucanus
Linnaeus, 1758

Three subspecies
  • "Red-billed toucan" (R. t. tucanus) Linnaeus, 1758
  • "Cuvier's toucan" (R. t. cuvieri) Wagler, 1827
  • "Inca toucan" (R. t. inca) Gould, 1846
The Amazon Basin including the adjacent Tocantins and Araguaia River drainage
Ramphastos tucanus map.svg
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 LC 


Yellow-throated toucan

Ramphastidae - Ramphastos ambiguus.jpg

Ramphastos ambiguus
Swainson, 1823

Three subspecies
  • "Chestnut-mandibled" toucan, R. a. swainsonii - (Gould, 1833)
  • "Black-mandibled" toucan (in part), the nominate R. a. ambiguus - Swainson, 1823
  • "Black-mandibled" toucan (in part), R. a. abbreviatus - Cabanis, 1862
Central and northern South America
Ramphastos ambiguus map.svg
Size:

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 LC 


Former species

Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize additional species or subspecies as species belonging to the genus Ramphastos including:

Description

This genus comprises the largest toucans, ranging from 42 to 61 centimetres (17 to 24 in) in length. [12] All have black wings, tails and thighs, but the colour of the remaining plumage depends on the exact species involved.

Diversity of bills

Distribution and habitat

Toucans are found throughout Central and South America, from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. They inhabit a variety of ecosystems, including tropical rainforests, cloud forests, and savannas. Toucans are particularly abundant in the Amazon basin, where they play an important ecological role as seed dispersers and predators.

Behavior and ecology

Breeding

They are arboreal and nest in tree holes laying 2–4 white eggs.

Food and feeding

All the species are basically fruit-eating, but will take insects and other small prey. [12]

Threats

The ischnoceran louse Austrophilopterus cancellosus is suspected to parasitize all species of Ramphastos toucans. Its presence has been confirmed on all species except the citron-throated toucan. [13]

Evolution

Phylogenetics

The phylogenetic relationships among toucans have been the subject of ongoing debate and research; in the past, the eight toucan species were classified into different subfamilies based on their bill size and shape. However, recent molecular studies have suggested that toucans are more closely related to aracaris and toucanets than previously thought. Several species have also been removed from the Ramphastos genus: Green aracari, Ivory-billed aracari, Black-necked aracari, Black-necked aracari, Collared aracari, Saffron toucanet.

One such study published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution in 2015, [14] used molecular data to investigate the phylogenetic relationships among toucans. The researchers sequenced several nuclear and mitochondrial genes from 40 toucan species, representing all recognized subgenera within the genus Ramphastos. The study found that toucans could be divided into six distinct clades, each with different bill morphologies and geographic distributions. The study also suggested that the toucan genus had diversified during the Pliocene epoch, around 5 million years ago, with the rapid diversification of several lineages during the Pleistocene epoch, around 1 million years ago.

The Ramphastos genus is divided into two groups which differ in the shape of their bills and their vocalization patterns. These two groups are known colloquially as the “croakers'' and the “yelpers”. The “croakers'' contain the following: R. brevis, R. dicolorus, R. sulfuratus, R. toco, and R. vitellinus. The “yelper” group contains: R. ambiguous and R. tucanus. Of these, R. brevis and R. dicolorus are polytypic.

History

The evolutionary history of toucans can be traced back to the Eocene period, around 50 million years ago, when the first toucan-like bird, known as Paratodus, appeared in Europe. The modern toucan species, however, originated in South America during the Miocene period, around 23 million years ago.

Transposable Elements

Transposable elements are a major source of genetic diversity and can contribute to the evolution of new genes and regulatory elements. Transposable elements have been found in the genomes of all organisms studied so far, including the Ramphastos genus.

One study published in the journal Genome Biology in 2018, [15] used a combination of genomic and phylogenetic analyses to investigate the role of transposable elements in the evolution of toucans. The researchers sequenced the genome of the green-billed toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus) and compared it to the genomes of other bird species. They found that transposable elements were abundant in the toucan genome, making up approximately 19% of the genome.

The researchers also identified several families of transposable elements that were specific to toucans, indicating that these elements had played a role in the evolution of the toucan genome. In particular, the researchers identified a family of elements called CR1, which had undergone a burst of activity in the toucan genome. This burst of activity was associated with the expansion and diversification of several gene families that are involved in sensory perception and immune response.

The study also found that transposable elements had contributed to the evolution of the toucan bill, which is one of the most distinctive features of toucans. The researchers identified several genes involved in the development of the bill that had been influenced by these elements. In particular, they found that they had inserted into regulatory regions of the genes, altering their expression patterns and contributing to the development of the large and colorful bill.

Related Research Articles

<i>Coracias</i> Genus of birds

Coracias is a genus of the rollers, an Old World family of near passerine birds related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups, blues and browns predominating. The two outer front toes are connected, but not the inner one.

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

The channel-billed toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae found on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and in tropical South America as far south as southern Brazil and central Bolivia.

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

The toco toucan is a species of bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is the largest species of toucan and has a distinctive appearance, with a black body, a white throat, chest and uppertail-coverts, and red undertail-coverts. Its most conspicuous feature is its massive beak, which is yellow-orange with a black base and large spot on the tip. It is endemic to South America, where it has a wide distribution from the Guianas south to northern Argentina and Uruguay, and its range has recently been expanding southwards. Unlike other toucans, which inhabit continuous forests, toco toucans inhabit a variety of semi-open habitats at altitudes of up to 1,750 m. They are especially common in the Brazilian cerrado, gallery forests, and the wetlands of the Pantanal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut-mandibled toucan</span> Subspecies of bird

The chestnut-mandibled toucan or Swainson's toucan is a subspecies of the yellow-throated toucan which breeds from eastern Honduras to northern Colombia to western Ecuador.

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

The white-throated toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae found in South America throughout the Amazon Basin including the adjacent Tocantins and Araguaia River drainage. It prefers tropical humid forest, but also occurs in woodland and locally in riverine forest within cerrado.

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

The collared aracari or collared araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found from Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aracari</span> Genus of birds

An aracari or araçari is any of the medium-sized toucans that, together with the saffron toucanet, make up the genus Pteroglossus.

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

The yellow-throated toucan is a Near Threatened species of bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found from Honduras south into northern South America and beyond to Peru.

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

The Choco toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

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

The red-breasted toucan or green-billed toucan is a bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.

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

The green araçari, is a toucan, a near-passerine bird. It is found in the lowland forests of northeastern South America, in the northeast Amazon Basin, the Guianas and the eastern Orinoco River drainage of Venezuela. At 30–40 cm. (12–16 in) long and weighing 110–160 grams, it is the smallest aracari in its range, and among the smallest members of the toucan family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shrikethrush</span> Genus of birds

A shrikethrush, also spelled shrike-thrush, is any one of eleven species of songbird that is a member of the genus Colluricincla. They have nondescript, predominantly brown or grey, plumage, but are accomplished singers, their calls described as "strong, mellow and beautiful." Shrikethrushes are generally insectivorous, though have been recorded eating molluscs and berries. They build cup-shaped nests in the forks of trees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain toucan</span> Genus of birds

Andigena, the mountain toucans, is a genus of birds in the family Ramphastidae. They are found in humid highland forests in the Andes of South America, ranging from Bolivia to Venezuela. These medium-sized toucans all have olive-brown upperparts, a black crown, yellow rump, blue-grey underparts and a red vent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-necked aracari</span> Species of bird

The black-necked aracari or black-necked araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.

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

The ivory-billed aracari or ivory-billed araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

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

The saffron toucanet is a species of bird in the family Ramphastidae found in the Atlantic Forest in far north-eastern Argentina, south-eastern Brazil, and eastern Paraguay.

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

The curl-crested aracari or curl-crested araçari is a near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.

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

Toucans are Neotropical birds in the family Ramphastidae. The Ramphastidae are most closely related to the Toucan barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and over 40 different species.

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

The citron-throated toucan is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae, the toucans, toucanets, and aracaris. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.

References

  1. Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 103.
  2. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 330. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  3. Vigors, Nicholas Aylward (1826). "On some species of the Ramphastidae". Zoological Journal. 2: 466–483 [471].
  4. Peters, James Lee, ed. (1948). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 6. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 82.
  5. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Woodpeckers". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  6. "Pteroglossus viridis – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
  7. "Pteroglossus azara – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
  8. "Pteroglossus aracari – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
  9. "Pteroglossus aracari atricollis – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
  10. "Pteroglossus torquatus – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
  11. "Pteroglossus bailloni – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
  12. 1 2 Short, L. L., & Horne, J. F. M. (2002). Toucans (Ramphastidae). pp. 220–272 in del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J. eds. (2002). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 7 Jacamars to Woodpecker. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN   84-87334-37-7
  13. Price, Roger D. & Weckstein, Jason D. (2005). The genus Austrophilopterus Ewing (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) from toucans, toucanets, and araçaris (Piciformes: Ramphastidae). Zootaxa 918: 1–18. PDF fulltext
  14. Patané, José S.L.; Weckstein, Jason D.; Aleixo, Alexandre; Bates, John M. (December 2009). "Evolutionary history of Ramphastos toucans: Molecular phylogenetics, temporal diversification, and biogeography". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 53 (3): 923–934. Bibcode:2009MolPE..53..923P. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2009.08.017 . PMID   19699308.
  15. Manthey, Joseph D; Moyle, Robert G; Boissinot, Stéphane (June 2018). "Multiple and Independent Phases of Transposable Element Amplification in the Genomes of Piciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)". Genome Biology and Evolution. 10 (6): 1445–1456. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evy105 . ISSN   1759-6653. PMC   6007501 . PMID   29850797.