Streamertail

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Streamertail
Red-billed streamertail( Trochilus polytmus) adult male 2.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Order: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Tribe: Trochilini
Genus: Trochilus
Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Trochilus polytmus
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

1-2, see text

The streamertails are hummingbirds in the genus Trochilus that are endemic to Jamaica. It is the type genus of the family Trochilidae. Today, most authorities consider the two taxa in this genus as separate species, but some (e.g. AOU) continue to treat them as conspecific, in which case T. scitulus is a subspecies of T. polytmus. A wide range of common names applies to this combined species, including green-and-black streamertail, Jamaican streamertail, or simply streamertail. The name "streamertail" is a reference to the greatly elongated rectrices of the males.

Taxonomy and species list

The genus Trochilus was introduced in 1758 by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae . [1] The genus name is from the Ancient Greek τροχιλος/trokhilos, a small unidentified bird mentioned by Aristotle. Later authors assumed the word referred to a wren. [2] The type species was subsequently designated as the red-billed streamertail. [3] [4] In his Systema Naturae, Linnaeus included 18 species of hummingbirds, all of which he placed in Trochilus. Today, 12 of these species are still recognised, but only the red-billed streamertail is retained in its original genus. [1] [5] Two species are now placed in the genus. [5]

Genus Trochilus Linnaeus, 1758 – two species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Red-billed streamertail

Red-billed Streamertail male RWD2.jpg
Male
Red-billed streamertail (Trochilus polytmus) female.jpg
Female

Trochilus polytmus
Linnaeus, 1758
Jamaica
Trochilus polytmus map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


Black-billed streamertail

Black-billed Streamertail 2506940832.jpg

Trochilus scitulus
(Brewster & Bangs, 1901)
eastern Jamaica
Trochilus scitulus map.svg
Size:

Habitat:

Diet:
 LC 


References

  1. 1 2 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. 119.
  2. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 391. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  3. Peters, James Lee, ed. (1945). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 56.
  4. Gray, George Robert (1840). A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 14.
  5. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Hummingbirds". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 6 January 2020.