Elgon francolin

Elgon francolin
Illustration by Keulemans, 1893
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Scleroptila
Species: S. psilolaema
Subspecies: S. p. elgonensis
Synonyms

Scleroptila elgonensis
Scleroptila shelleyi elgonensis
Francolinus elgonensis
Francolinus psilolaema elgonensis
Francolinus shelleyi elgonensis

The Elgon francolin (Scleroptila psilolaema elgonensis) is a francolin found in moorland at altitudes above 2,300 metres (7,500 ft) from eastern Uganda (Mount Elgon) to central Kenya.[2][3] Most recent authorities treat it as a subspecies of the moorland francolin.[2][3][4][5][6] Alternatively, it has been suggested that it is a species (S. elgonensis), a subspecies of the Shelley's francolin (S. shelleyi elgonensis),[2] or even a hybrid between the moorland and red-winged francolins.[7] It was described by Ogilvie-Grant in 1891 as Francolinus elgonensis, and some authorities still use the genus Francolinus for all members otherwise placed in Scleroptila.[2][5] The Elgon francolin resembles the nominate subspecies of the moorland francolin, but the latter is duller (less rufescent) and has a black-dotted throat.[2]

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2014). "Scleroptila psilolaema". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 McGowan, P. J. K. (1994). Moorland Francolin (Francolinus elgonensis). Pp. 494 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J. eds. (1994). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 2. New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelon. ISBN 84-87334-15-6
  3. 1 2 Zimmerman, D. A., Turner, D. A., & Pearson, D. J. (1999). Birds of Kenya & Northern Tanzania. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0-7136-5079-6
  4. ↑ Sinclair, I., & Ryan, P. (2003). Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Struik Publishers, Cape Town. ISBN 1-86872-857-9
  5. 1 2 Dickinson, E. C. eds. (2003). The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 3rd edition. ISBN 0-7136-6536-X
  6. ↑ Clements, J. F. (2007). The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 978-0-7136-8695-1
  7. ↑ McCarthy, Eugene M. (2006). Handbook of avian hybrids of the world. Oxford University Press US. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-19-518323-8.
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