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Ground antbirds
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Suborder: Tyranni
Family: Formicariidae
Gray [1], 1840
Genera

Several, see below

The Formicariidae, formicariids, or ground antbirds are a family of smallish passerine birds of subtropical and tropical Central and South America. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. The Suborder of Passerine Birds Tyranni (the suboscines) includes about 1000 Species, the large majority of which are South George Robert Gray FRS ( July 8, 1808 - May 6, 1872) was an English zoologist and Author and A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In Biological classification, family ( Latin Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a They are between 10 and 20 cm (4-8 in) in length, and are related to the antbirds, Thamnophilidae, and gnateaters, Conopophagidae. The antbirds are a large family, Thamnophilidae, of Passerine Birds found across subtropical and tropical Central and South America The gnateaters are a Bird family, Conopophagidae, consisting of ten small Passerine Species in two genera, which occur This family contains probably (see below) some 100–120 species in 1 or 2 large and a number of fairly small genera. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic

These are forest birds that tend to feed on insects at or near the ground since many are specialist ant eaters. Ants are social Insects of the family Formicidae and along with the related families of Wasps and Bees belong to the order Most are drab in appearance with shades of (rusty) brown, black, and white being their dominant tones.

They lay two or three eggs in a nest in a tree, both sexes incubating.

Contents

Systematics

The Formicariidae are traditionally divided into two groups, which are supported by a wide range of morphological, molecular and other evidence. The antthrushes in the genera Formicarius and Chamaeza are similar in appearance to small rails. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized Birds The family exhibits considerable diversity Their sexes are alike in plumage, and they walk like starlings. Starlings are small to medium-sized Passerine Birds in the family Sturnidae. The thrush part of the name refers only to the similarity in size (and in Chamaeza also coloration) to true thrushes, not to an evolutionary relationship. See also other birds with "thrush" in their name Waterthrush, Shrike-thrush, Thrush Nightingale The Thrushes, eVolution is the third Album by eLDee, it was due to be released in 2008

The antpittas in the genera Grallaria, Hylopezus, Myrmothera and Grallaricula are also sexually monomorphic; they resemble the true pittas in that they are virtually tailess; they hop like thrushes, and are much easier to hear than see – although their vocalizations may be rather atypical for perching birds. Pittas are a family, Pittidae, of Passerine Birds mainly found in tropical Asia and Australasia, although a couple of species See also other birds with "thrush" in their name Waterthrush, Shrike-thrush, Thrush Nightingale The Thrushes,

Recent research (Irestedt et al. 2002, Rice 2005a,b) indicates that the Formicariidae as previously delimited are highly paraphyletic, judging from comparison of several mt and nDNA sequences. In Phylogenetics, a group of organisms is said to be paraphyletic if the group contains its most recent common ancestor but does not contain all Mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) is the DNA located in Organelles called mitochondria. Nuclear DNA, nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid (nDNA is DNA contained within a nucleus of eukaryotic organisms. A DNA sequence or genetic sequence is a succession of letters representing the Primary structure of a real or hypothetical DNA Molecule The aberrant bar-bellied "antpittas" of the genus Pittasoma, which were formerly placed here, belong to the gnateater family (which initially was also considered part of the Formicariidae); as the gnateaters proper, they are sexually dichromatic. Pittasoma is a genus of Birds in the Gnateater family Its two members breed in subtropical or tropical moist forest in South America. The gnateaters are a Bird family, Conopophagidae, consisting of ten small Passerine Species in two genera, which occur Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different Sex in the same Species. On the other hand, at least a large proportion of the Rhinocryptidae (tapaculos), including the type genus Rhinocrypta, seem to be closer to the antthrushes than these are to the antpittas. The tapaculos are a group of small Suboscine passeriform Birds with numerous species found mainly in South America and with the highest In biology the phrase type genus is used differently depending on the nomenclatural ''Code'' that applies In zoological nomenclature, a type UserPolbot. -->The Crested Gallito ( Rhinocrypta lanceolata) is a species of Bird in the Rhinocryptidae

Very little molecular data is currently available for rhinocryptids, which are moreover rather non-diagnostic morphologically. As relationships with related groups such as ovenbirds have not been fully resolved, it is certain that the systematics of the group will be revised soon, but it is not clear how exactly the new systematic lineup will be. Ovenbirds or furnariids comprise a large family of small Suboscine Passerine Bird Species found in Central and On the other hand, morphological, behavioral and molecular analyses of the true antpittas agree astoundingly well as regards their internal systematics, considering the high amount of lifestyle-related homoplasies in the birds discussed here. Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages

Barring a closer relationship of any of the three groups – antthrushes, tapaculos, and antpittas – to other suboscines, three basic approaches are possible:

  1. Some or all Rhinocryptidae would be merged into the Formicariidae. The Suborder of Passerine Birds Tyranni (the suboscines) includes about 1000 Species, the large majority of which are South "Rhinocryptidae" would have to be abolished as a family-level taxon, and if that group is not entirely merged into the Formicariidae, the remaining genera would receive a new family name. A taxon (plural taxa) or taxonomic unit, is a name designating an organism or a group of Organisms In Biological nomenclature according to In Biological classification, family ( Latin The Formicariidae would then contain an antthrush-tapaculo subfamily, possibly with two separate tribes, and one or two antpitta tribes as per option 2 in another subfamily. In Biological classification, family ( Latin In Biology, a tribe &mdashor infrafamily&mdashis a Taxonomic rank between family and Genus.
  2. It is alternatively possible to split the group into two families, of which one would contain the antthrushes and some or all tapaculos and their allies in two subfamilies and bear the name Formicariidae. The other family would contain the antpittas and receive a new name; it would also contain two subfamilies, one consisting of the typical Grallaria antpittas and the other of the usually smaller species of the remaining genera.
  3. Finally, all three major lineages – antthrushes, tapaculos and allies, and antpittas – could be considered separate families. Phylogenetically, it might even be deemed appropriate to split the antpittas into two families (one containing only Grallaria and the other the remaining genera) though this would probably be considered oversplitting.

Altogether, a layout with two subfamilies and four families (option 1) or an analogous one with two tribes and four subfamilies (option 2) seems to represent the phylogeny of these birds best; a three-lineage approach (option 3) might be warranted if some other families are also part of the Formicariidae-Rhinocryptidae clade. A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor Whether the typical antthrushes and tapaculos should be separated from the antpittas at the family level is not yet clear. It depends on whether or not the gnateaters and true antbirds are closer to the true antpittas than to the antthrush-tapaculo clade; there is some – albeit very tentative – indication that splitting off the true antpittas as a distinct family (option 2) is indeed more warranted (Rice 2005a). The antbirds are a large family, Thamnophilidae, of Passerine Birds found across subtropical and tropical Central and South America A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor

Antthrushes and Tapaculos (Formicariidae sensu stricto)

Typical antthrushes - tribe Formicariini/subfamily Formicariinae

Tapaculos – possibly tribe Rhinocryptini/subfamily Rhinocryptinae (tentatively placed here)

and probably other genera

True antpittas (possibly own family N. Formicarius is a genus of Passerine Birds in the Formicariidae Family. UserPolbot. -->The Rufous-capped Antthrush ( Formicarius colma) is a species of Bird in the Formicariidae UserPolbot. -->The Black-headed Antthrush ( Formicarius nigricapillus) is a species of Bird in the The Black-faced Antthrush ( Formicarius analis) is a Passerine Bird which breeds in the tropical New World from southern Mexico through UserPolbot. -->The Rufous-fronted Antthrush ( Formicarius rufifrons) is a species of Bird in the UserPolbot. --> The Rufous-breasted Antthrush ( Formicarius rufipectus) is a Species of Bird UserPolbot. --> Chamaeza is a genus of Bird in the Formicariidae family UserPolbot. -->The Striated Antthrush ( Chamaeza nobilis) is a species of Bird in the Formicariidae UserPolbot. -->The Short-tailed Antthrush ( Chamaeza campanisona) is a species of Bird in the Formicariidae UserPolbot. -->The Rufous-tailed Antthrush or Brazilian Antthrush ( Chamaeza ruficauda) is a species UserPolbot. -->The Schwartz's Antthrush ( Chamaeza turdina) is a species of Bird in the Formicariidae UserPolbot. -->The Such's Antthrush ( Chamaeza meruloides) is a species of Bird in the Formicariidae UserPolbot. -->The Barred Antthrush ( Chamaeza mollissima) is a species of Bird in the Formicariidae The tapaculos are a group of small Suboscine passeriform Birds with numerous species found mainly in South America and with the highest UserPolbot. --> Pteroptochos is a genus of Bird in the Rhinocryptidae family Scytalopus is a Genus of small Passerine Birds belonging to the Tapaculo group UserPolbot. -->The Crested Gallito ( Rhinocrypta lanceolata) is a species of Bird in the Rhinocryptidae UserPolbot. -->The Rusty-belted Tapaculo ( Liosceles thoracicus) is a species of Bird in the Rhinocryptidae N. )

Typical antpittas – tribe Grallariini/subfamily Grallariinae

Lesser antpittas – possibly tribe Myrmotherini/subfamily Myrmotherinae

References

External links

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