Pittasoma

Pittasoma
Rufous-crowned antpitta, Pittasoma rufopileatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Conopophagidae
Genus: Pittasoma
Cassin, 1860
species

P. michleri
P. rufopileatum

Pittasoma is a genus of birds in the gnateater family. Its two members breed in subtropical or tropical moist forest in South and Central America, specifically the Chocó, and Panama and Costa Rica. Formerly placed in the family Formicariidae, they were reclassified to Conopophagidae following analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequences (Rice, 2005a,b). The association between the genus Pittasoma and the 'traditional' gnateaters is also supported by traits in their natural history, morphology, vocalizations (Rice, 2005a).

They are round, short-tailed, and long-legged birds, 16–19 cm (6-7½ inches) in length, making them the largest members of the gnateater family. These terrestrial birds are quite upright when standing. Sexes differ in plumage, but sexual dichromatism is less pronounced than in most members of the other gnateater genus, Conopophaga. They are insectivorous.

The species are

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, March 23, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.