Ramphastos
| Ramphastos | |
|---|---|
| |
| Choco toucan | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Ramphastidae |
| Genus: | Ramphastos Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Type species | |
| Ramphastos tucanus (white-throated toucan) Linnaeus, 1758
| |
| Species | |
|
See text. | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Ramphastos is a genus of toucans, tropical and subtropical near passerine birds from Mexico, and Central and South America (with one species occurring in the Caribbean), which are brightly marked and have enormous, often colourful, bills.[1]
Taxonomy[]
The genus Ramphastos was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae.[2] The name is from Ancient Greek ῥαμφηστης/rhamphēstēs meaning "snouted" (from ῥαμφη/rhampē meaning "bill").[3] The type species was later designated by Nicholas Aylward Vigors as the white-throated toucan (Ramphastos tucanus).[4][5]
Species[]
The genus contains eight species:[6]
| Image | Common Name | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Green-billed toucan | Ramphastos dicolorus | Eastern Brazil, Pantanal of Bolivia, eastern Paraguay and far north-eastern Argentina |
 |
Channel-billed toucan | Ramphastos vitellinus | Trinidad and in tropical South America as far south as southern Brazil and central Bolivia |
 |
Citron-throated toucan | Ramphastos citreolaemus | Northern Colombia and north-western Venezuela |
 |
Choco toucan | Ramphastos brevis | Chocó forests in western Ecuador and western Colombia |
 |
Keel-billed toucan | Ramphastos sulfuratus | Southern Mexico to Venezuela and Colombia |
 |
Toco toucan | Ramphastos toco | Northern and eastern Bolivia, extreme south-eastern Peru, northern Argentina, eastern and central Paraguay, eastern and southern Brazil |
 |
White-throated toucan | Ramphastos tucanus | The Amazon Basin including the adjacent Tocantins and Araguaia River drainage |
 |
Yellow-throated toucan | Ramphastos ambiguus | Central and northern South America |
Former species[]
Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize additional species or subspecies as species belonging to the genus Ramphastos including:
- Green aracari (as Ramphastos viridis)[7]
- Ivory-billed aracari (as Ramphastos Azara)[8]
- Black-necked aracari (as Ramphastos Aracari)[9]
- Black-necked aracari (atricollis) (as Ramphastos atricollis)[10]
- Collared aracari (as Ramphastos torquatus)[11]
- Saffron toucanet (as Ramphastos Bailloni)[12]
Description[]
This genus comprises the largest toucans, ranging from 42 to 61 centimetres (17 to 24 in) in length.[1] All have black wings, tails and thighs, but the colour of the remaining plumage depends on the exact species involved.
Diversity of bills[]
Keel-billed toucan
(Ramphastos sulfuratus)
Channel-billed toucan
(Ramphastos vitellinus vitellinus)
Green-billed toucan (Ramphastos dicolorus)
Chestnut-mandibled toucan
(Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii)
White-throated toucan, (Ramphastos tucanus)
Toco toucan
(Ramphastos toco)
Distribution and habitat[]
They are essentially resident birds, but may take part in minor, local movements (e.g., to lower altitudes in the winter).[1]
Behaviour 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.[1]
Threats[]
The ischnoceran louse is suspected to parasitize all species of Ramphastos toucans. Its presence has been confirmed on all species except the citron-throated toucan.[13]
References[]
- ^ a b c d 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
- ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Volume 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 103.
|volume=has extra text (help) - ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 330. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Vigors, Nicholas Aylward (1826). "On some species of the Ramphastidae". Zoological Journal. 2: 466-483 [471].
- ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1948). Check-List of Birds of the World. Volume 6. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 82.
|volume=has extra text (help) - ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Woodpeckers". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "Pteroglossus viridis – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
- ^ "Pteroglossus azara – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
- ^ "Pteroglossus aracari – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
- ^ "Pteroglossus aracari atricollis – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
- ^ "Pteroglossus torquatus – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-26.
- ^ "Pteroglossus bailloni – Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
- ^ 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
External links[]
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Wikispecies has information related to Ramphastos. |
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