Alcedo is a genus of birds in the kingfisher subfamily Alcedininae. The genus was introduced by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae.[2] The type species is the common kingfisher (Alcedo ispida, now Alcedo atthis ispida).[3] Alcedo is the Latin for "kingfisher".[4]
| Alcedo | |
|---|---|
| |
| Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Alcedinidae |
| Subfamily: | Alcedininae |
| Genus: | Alcedo Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Type species | |
| Alcedo ispida Linnaeus, 1758
| |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
| Phylogeny |
| Cladogram based on Andersen et al. (2017)[1] |
Species
editThe genus contains the following eight species:[5]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Alcedo coerulescens | Cerulean kingfisher | Indonesia. |
| Alcedo euryzona | Javan blue-banded kingfisher | Java | |
 |
Alcedo peninsulae | Malayan blue-banded kingfisher | Myanmar, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, southwestern Thailand and Borneo |
 |
Alcedo quadribrachys | Shining-blue kingfisher | Senegal and Gambia to west central Nigeria to Kenya, northwest Zambia and north Angola |
 |
Alcedo meninting | Blue-eared kingfisher | Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia |
 |
Alcedo atthis | Common kingfisher | across Eurasia and North Africa |
 |
Alcedo semitorquata | Half-collared kingfisher | southern and eastern Africa. |
 |
Alcedo hercules | Blyth's kingfisher | China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bhutan in northeastern India, and a vagrant in Bangladesh and eastern Nepal |
Unlike many kingfishers, all members of Alcedo are specialist fish-eaters. They all have some blue feathers on their upper-parts and most species have a black bill.[6] Except for the cerulean kingfisher they all have some rufous in their plumage. The female generally has more red on the lower mandible than the male.[7] The smallest species is the cerulean kingfisher which is around 13 cm (5.1 in) in length;[8] much the largest is Blyth's kingfisher with a length of 22 cm (8.7 in).[9]
References
edit- ^ Andersen, M.J.; McCullough, J.M.; Mauck III, W.M.; Smith, B.T.; Moyle, R.G. (2017). "A phylogeny of kingfishers reveals an Indomalayan origin and elevated rates of diversification on oceanic islands". Journal of Biogeography. 45 (2): 1–13. doi:10.1111/jbi.13139.
- ^ Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturæ per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis, Volume 1 (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae:Laurentii Salvii. p. 115.
- ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1945). Check-list of Birds of the World. Volume 5. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 170.
- ^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2016). "Rollers, ground rollers & kingfishers". World Bird List Version 6.3. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
- ^ Moyle, R.G.; Fuchs, J.; Pasquet, E.; Marks, B.D. (2007). "Feeding behavior, toe count, and the phylogenetic relationships among alcedinine kingfishers (Alcedininae)". Journal of Avian Biology. 38 (3): 317–326. doi:10.1111/J.2007.0908-8857.03921.x.
- ^ Fry, Fry & Harris 1992, pp. 210–224.
- ^ Fry, Fry & Harris 1992, pp. 210–211.
- ^ Fry, Fry & Harris 1992, pp. 223–224.
Sources
edit- Fry, C. Hilary; Fry, Kathie; Harris, Alan (1992). Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, and Rollers. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-0-7136-8028-7.
External links
edit
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