The forktails are small insectivorous birds in the genus Enicurus. They were formerly placed in the thrush family, Turdidae, but are now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. Their common name derives from their long forked tail.[2]
| Forktails | |
|---|---|
| |
| Little forktail (Enicurus scouleri) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Subfamily: | Saxicolinae |
| Genus: | Enicurus Temminck, 1822 |
| Type species | |
| Enicurus coronatus[1] Temminck, 1822
| |
These are southeast Asian forest species principally associated with mountain forests and streams. Most nest in rock crevices, laying 2–4 eggs.
Taxonomy edit
The genus Enicurus was introduced in 1822 by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck to accommodate Enicurus coronatus, the white-crowned forktail, which is therefore the type species.[3] Temminck's epithet is considered to be a junior synonym as four years earlier in 1818 Louis Vieillot had coined the binomial name Turdus leschenaulti for the same species.[4] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek henikos meaning "singular" with -ouros meaning "-tailed".[5]
The following cladogram showing the relationships between the species is based on a molecular phylogenetic study of the Old World flycatchers published in 2023. The Bornean forktail (Enicurus borneensis) was not included.[6]
| Enicurus |
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Species edit
The genus contains the following eight species:[7]
- Little forktail, Enicurus scouleri
- Black-backed forktail, Enicurus immaculatus
- Slaty-backed forktail, Enicurus schistaceus
- Spotted forktail, Enicurus maculatus
- White-crowned forktail, Enicurus leschenaulti
- Bornean forktail, Enicurus borneensis
- Chestnut-naped forktail, Enicurus ruficapillus
- Sunda forktail, Enicurus velatus
References edit
- ^ "Muscicapidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
- ^ Collar, Nigel (2005), "Family Turdidae (Thrushes)", in del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Christie, David (eds.), Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10, Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 805–807, ISBN 84-87334-72-5
- ^ Temminck, Coenraad Jacob (1824). Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux, pour servir de suite et de complément aux planches enluminées de Buffon (in French). Vol. 3. Paris: F.G. Levrault. Livraison 19, Plate 113. The 5 volumes were originally issued in 102 livraison (parts), 1820-1839. For the dates see: Dickinson, E.C. (2001). "Systematic notes on Asian birds. 9. The Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées of Temminck & Laugier (1820–1839)". Zoologische verhandelingen Leiden. 335: 7–53.
- ^ Mayr, Ernst; Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, eds. (1964). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 10. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. pp. 85–86.
- ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Zhao, M.; Gordon Burleigh, J.; Olsson, U.; Alström, P.; Kimball, R.T. (2023). "A near-complete and time-calibrated phylogeny of the Old World flycatchers, robins and chats (Aves, Muscicapidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 178: 107646. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107646.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2023). "Chats, Old World flycatchers". IOC World Bird List Version 13.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 29 November 2023.