Raffles's malkoha

Raffles's malkoha
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Cuculiformes
Family: Cuculidae
Subfamily: Phaenicophaeinae (disputed)
Genus: Rhinortha
Vigors, 1830
Species: R. chlorophaea
Binomial name
Rhinortha chlorophaea
(Raffles, 1822)
Synonyms

Cuculus chlorophaeus Raffles, 1822
Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus (Raffles, 1822)

Raffles's malkoha (Rhinortha chlorophaea) is a species of cuckoo (family Cuculidae). It was formerly often placed in Phaenicophaeus with the other malkohas, but it is a rather distinct species, with several autapomorphies and sexual dimorphism (which its presumed relatives all lack).

It might not even be very closely related to the true malkohas, but form a very basal lineage of cuckoos; in any case, its placement in a monotypic genus Rhinortha is well warranted.

It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

References

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