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Owlet-nightjar

January 01, 1970

Owlet-nightjars are small crepuscular birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. Most are native to New Guinea, but some species extend to Australia, the Moluccas, and New Caledonia. A flightless species from New Zealand is extinct. There is a single monotypic family Aegothelidae with the genus Aegotheles.

Owlet-nightjars
Temporal range: Early Miocene to present
Barred owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles bennettii)
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Clade: Strisores
Clade: Daedalornithes
Order: Aegotheliformes
Worthy et al., 2007
Family: Aegothelidae
Bonaparte, 1853
Genus: Aegotheles
Vigors & Horsfield, 1827
Type species
Caprimulgus novaehollandiae[1]
Latham, 1790
Synonyms
  • Euaegotheles Mathews, 1918
  • Megaegotheles Scarlett, 1968

Owlet-nightjars are insectivores which hunt mostly in the air but sometimes on the ground; their soft plumage is a cryptic mixture of browns and paler shades, they have fairly small, weak feet (but larger and stronger than those of a frogmouth or a nightjar), a tiny bill that opens extraordinarily wide, surrounded by prominent whiskers. The wings are short, with 10 primaries and about 11 secondaries; the tail long and rounded.

Systematics edit

A comprehensive 2003 study[2] analyzing mtDNA sequences Cytochrome b and ATPase subunit 8 suggests that 11 living species of owlet-nightjar should be recognized, as well as another that became extinct early in the second millennium AD.

The relationship between the owlet-nightjars and the (traditional) Caprimulgiformes has long been controversial and obscure and remains so today: in the 19th century they were regarded as a subfamily of the frogmouths, and they are still generally considered to be related to the frogmouths and/or the nightjars. It appears though that they are not as closely related to either as previously thought, and that the owlet-nightjars share a more recent common ancestor with the Apodiformes.[3] As has been suggested on occasion since morphological studies of the cranium in the 1960s,[4] they are thus considered a distinct order, Aegotheliformes. This, the caprimulgiform lineage(s), and the Apodiformes, are postulated to form a clade called Cypselomorphae, with the owlet-nightjars and the Apodiformes forming the clade Daedalornithes.

In form and habits, however, they are very similar to both caprimulgiform group – or, at first glance, to small owls with huge eyes. The ancestors of the swifts and hummingbirds, two groups of birds which are morphologically very specialized, seem to have looked very similar to a small owlet-nightjar, possessing strong legs and a wide gape, while the legs and feet are very reduced in today's swifts and hummingbirds, and the bill is narrow in the latter.

Owlet-nightjars are an exclusively Australasian group, but close relatives apparently thrived all over Eurasia in the late Paleogene.

Taxonomy edit

Phylogeny of Aegothelidae[5]

Family Aegothelidae[6]

  • Genus Quipollornis Rich & McEvey 1977 (Early/Middle Miocene of New South Wales)
    • †Quipollornis koniberi Rich & McEvey 1977
  • Genus Aegotheles

A fossil proximal right tarsometatarsus (MNZ S42800) was found at the Bannockburn Formation of the Manuherikia Group near the Manuherikia River in Otago, New Zealand. Dating from the Early to Middle Miocene (Altonian, 19-16 million years ago), it seems to represent an owlet-nightjar ancestral to A. novaezealandiae.[7] In 2022, an additional specimen from the same locality was described by Worthy et al. as a new extinct species of Aeotheles, A. zealandivetus. The holotype specimen is NMNZ S.52917, a distal right tarsometatarsus.[8]

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ "Apodidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  2. ^ Dumbacher et al. (2003)
  3. ^ Mayr (2002)
  4. ^ Simonetta (1967)
  5. ^ Boyd, John (2007). "STRISORES II- Apodiformes". John Boyd's website. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Comparison of IOC 8.1 with other world lists". IOC World Bird List. v8.1. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  7. ^ Worthy et al. (2007)
  8. ^ Worthy, Trevor H.; Scofield, R. Paul; Salisbury, Steven W.; Hand, Suzanne J.; De Pietri, Vanesa L.; Archer, Michael (2022-04-05). "Two new neoavian taxa with contrasting palaeobiogeographical implications from the early Miocene St Bathans Fauna, New Zealand". Journal of Ornithology. 163 (3): 643–658. doi:10.1007/s10336-022-01981-6. ISSN 2193-7206. S2CID 247993690.

References edit

  • Dumbacher, John P. ; Pratt, Thane K. & Fleischer, Robert C. (2003): Phylogeny of the owlet-nightjars (Aves: Aegothelidae) based on mitochondrial DNA sequence. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 29(3): 540–549. doi:10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00135-0 PDF fulltext
  • Mayr, Gerald (2002): Osteological evidence for paraphyly of the avian order Caprimulgiformes (nightjars and allies). J. Ornithol. 143(1): 82–97. doi:10.1007/BF02465461 PDF fulltext
  • Simonetta, A.M. (1967): Cinesi e morfologia del cranio negli Uccelli non passeriformi. Studio su varie tendenze evolutive. Part II – Striges, Caprimulgiformes ed Apodiformes ["Cranial kinesis and morphology of non-passerine birds. Study of various evolutionary tendencies. Part II – Striges, Caprimulgiformes and Apodiformes"]. [In Italian[verification needed]] Archivio Zoologico Italiano 52: 1–35.
  • Worthy, Trevor H.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Jones, C.; McNamara, J.A. & Douglas, B.J. (2007): Miocene waterfowl and other birds from central Otago, New Zealand. J. Syst. Palaeontol. 5(1): 1–39. doi:10.1017/S1477201906001957 (HTML abstract)

January 01, 1970
owlet, nightjar, small, crepuscular, birds, related, nightjars, frogmouths, most, native, guinea, some, species, extend, australia, moluccas, caledonia, flightless, species, from, zealand, extinct, there, single, monotypic, family, aegothelidae, with, genus, a. Owlet nightjars are small crepuscular birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths Most are native to New Guinea but some species extend to Australia the Moluccas and New Caledonia A flightless species from New Zealand is extinct There is a single monotypic family Aegothelidae with the genus Aegotheles Owlet nightjarsTemporal range Early Miocene to present Barred owlet nightjar Aegotheles bennettii Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Clade Strisores Clade Daedalornithes Order AegotheliformesWorthy et al 2007 Family AegothelidaeBonaparte 1853 Genus AegothelesVigors amp Horsfield 1827 Type species Caprimulgus novaehollandiae 1 Latham 1790 Synonyms Euaegotheles Mathews 1918 Megaegotheles Scarlett 1968 Owlet nightjars are insectivores which hunt mostly in the air but sometimes on the ground their soft plumage is a cryptic mixture of browns and paler shades they have fairly small weak feet but larger and stronger than those of a frogmouth or a nightjar a tiny bill that opens extraordinarily wide surrounded by prominent whiskers The wings are short with 10 primaries and about 11 secondaries the tail long and rounded Contents 1 Systematics 2 Taxonomy 3 Footnotes 4 ReferencesSystematics editA comprehensive 2003 study 2 analyzing mtDNA sequences Cytochrome b and ATPase subunit 8 suggests that 11 living species of owlet nightjar should be recognized as well as another that became extinct early in the second millennium AD The relationship between the owlet nightjars and the traditional Caprimulgiformes has long been controversial and obscure and remains so today in the 19th century they were regarded as a subfamily of the frogmouths and they are still generally considered to be related to the frogmouths and or the nightjars It appears though that they are not as closely related to either as previously thought and that the owlet nightjars share a more recent common ancestor with the Apodiformes 3 As has been suggested on occasion since morphological studies of the cranium in the 1960s 4 they are thus considered a distinct order Aegotheliformes This the caprimulgiform lineage s and the Apodiformes are postulated to form a clade called Cypselomorphae with the owlet nightjars and the Apodiformes forming the clade Daedalornithes In form and habits however they are very similar to both caprimulgiform group or at first glance to small owls with huge eyes The ancestors of the swifts and hummingbirds two groups of birds which are morphologically very specialized seem to have looked very similar to a small owlet nightjar possessing strong legs and a wide gape while the legs and feet are very reduced in today s swifts and hummingbirds and the bill is narrow in the latter Owlet nightjars are an exclusively Australasian group but close relatives apparently thrived all over Eurasia in the late Paleogene Taxonomy editPhylogeny of Aegothelidae 5 Aegotheles A savesi A insignis A tatei A crinifrons A cristatus A affinis A bennettii A salvadorii A wallacii A archboldi A albertisi Family Aegothelidae 6 Genus Quipollornis Rich amp McEvey 1977 Early Middle Miocene of New South Wales Quipollornis koniberi Rich amp McEvey 1977 Genus Aegotheles New Zealand owlet nightjar Aegotheles novaezealandiae Scarlett 1968 prehistoric formerly Megaegotheles New Caledonian owlet nightjar Aegotheles savesi Layard amp Layard 1881 Feline owlet nightjar Aegotheles insignis Salvadori 1876 Starry owlet nightjar or spangled owlet nightjar Aegotheles tatei Rand 1941 Moluccan owlet nightjar or long whiskered owlet nightjar Aegotheles crinifrons Bonaparte 1850 Australian owlet nightjar Aegotheles cristatus Shaw 1790 A c cristatus Shaw 1790 A c tasmanicus Mathews 1918 Vogelkop owlet nightjar Aegotheles affinis Salvadori 1876 Barred owlet nightjar Aegotheles bennettii Salvadori amp Albertis 1875 A b bennettii Salvadori amp Albertis 1875 A b plumifer Ramsay 1883 A b terborghi Diamond 1967 A b wiedenfeldi Laubmann 1914 Wallace s owlet nightjar Aegotheles wallacii Gray 1859 A w gigas Rothschild 1931 A w manni Diamond 1969 A w wallacii Gray 1859 Mountain owlet nightjar Aegotheles albertisi Sclater 1874 A a albertisi Sclater 1874 Arfak owlet nightjar A a wondiwoi Mayr amp Rand 1936 A a salvadorii Hartert 1892 Salvadori s owlet nightjar A fossil proximal right tarsometatarsus MNZ S42800 was found at the Bannockburn Formation of the Manuherikia Group near the Manuherikia River in Otago New Zealand Dating from the Early to Middle Miocene Altonian 19 16 million years ago it seems to represent an owlet nightjar ancestral to A novaezealandiae 7 In 2022 an additional specimen from the same locality was described by Worthy et al as a new extinct species of Aeotheles A zealandivetus The holotype specimen is NMNZ S 52917 a distal right tarsometatarsus 8 Footnotes edit Apodidae aviansystematics org The Trust for Avian Systematics Retrieved 2023 08 05 Dumbacher et al 2003 Mayr 2002 Simonetta 1967 Boyd John 2007 STRISORES II Apodiformes John Boyd s website Retrieved 30 December 2017 Comparison of IOC 8 1 with other world lists IOC World Bird List v8 1 Retrieved 30 December 2017 Worthy et al 2007 Worthy Trevor H Scofield R Paul Salisbury Steven W Hand Suzanne J De Pietri Vanesa L Archer Michael 2022 04 05 Two new neoavian taxa with contrasting palaeobiogeographical implications from the early Miocene St Bathans Fauna New Zealand Journal of Ornithology 163 3 643 658 doi 10 1007 s10336 022 01981 6 ISSN 2193 7206 S2CID 247993690 References editDumbacher John P Pratt Thane K amp Fleischer Robert C 2003 Phylogeny of the owlet nightjars Aves Aegothelidae based on mitochondrial DNA sequence Mol Phylogenet Evol 29 3 540 549 doi 10 1016 S1055 7903 03 00135 0 PDF fulltext Mayr Gerald 2002 Osteological evidence for paraphyly of the avian order Caprimulgiformes nightjars and allies J Ornithol 143 1 82 97 doi 10 1007 BF02465461 PDF fulltext Simonetta A M 1967 Cinesi e morfologia del cranio negli Uccelli non passeriformi Studio su varie tendenze evolutive Part II Striges Caprimulgiformes ed Apodiformes Cranial kinesis and morphology of non passerine birds Study of various evolutionary tendencies Part II Striges Caprimulgiformes and Apodiformes In Italian verification needed Archivio Zoologico Italiano 52 1 35 Worthy Trevor H Tennyson A J D Jones C McNamara J A amp Douglas B J 2007 Miocene waterfowl and other birds from central Otago New Zealand J Syst Palaeontol 5 1 1 39 doi 10 1017 S1477201906001957 HTML abstract Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Owlet nightjar amp oldid 1193278472, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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