| Xenicus | |
|---|---|
| |
| A South Island wren. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Acanthisittidae |
| Genus: | Xenicus G.R. Gray, 1855 |
| Type species | |
| Motacilla longipes[1] Gmelin, 1789
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Pachyplichas (Millener, 1988) | |
Xenicus is a genus of birds in the family Acanthisittidae. It contains New Zealand wrens.
Species
[edit]- New Zealand rock wren, Xenicus gilviventris
- Bushwren, †Xenicus longipes (extinct)
- South Island stout-legged wren, †X. yaldwyni – South Island, New Zealand
- North Island stout-legged wren, †X. jagmi – North Island, New Zealand
Lyall's wren was classified as Xenicus lyalli but is quite divergent, so it is placed in its own genus, Traversia.
Taxonomy
[edit]The stout-legged wrens formed a species pair. They had reduced wings and robust legs indicating that they were adapted to a terrestrial existence and were either flightless or nearly so.[2] Genetic evidence has indicated that the former genus Pachyplichas is nested within Xenicus, and stout legged wrens must have evolved from a gracile legged ancestor. A cladogram is given below.[3]
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References
[edit]- ^ "Acanthisittidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
- ^ Millener (1988).
- ^ Mitchell, Kieren J.; Wood, Jamie R.; Llamas, Bastien; McLenachan, Patricia A.; Kardailsky, Olga; Scofield, R. Paul; Worthy, Trevor H.; Cooper, Alan (September 2016). "Ancient mitochondrial genomes clarify the evolutionary history of New Zealand's enigmatic acanthisittid wrens". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 102: 295–304. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2016.05.038. PMID 27261250.
- Catalogue of the genera and subgenera of birds contained in the British museum. p. 31
- North Island Rifleman (Titipounamu)(above two birds) / South Island Bush Wren (Matuhi) (left centre) / Rock Wren (centre right) / Stephens Island Wren by George Edward Lodge. Collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Further reading
[edit]- Millener, P.R. (1988). "Contributions to New Zealand's Late Quaternary avifauna. 1: Pachyplichas, a new genus of wren (Aves: Acanthisittidae), with two new species". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 18 (4): 383–406. Bibcode:1988JRSNZ..18..383M. doi:10.1080/03036758.1988.10426464.
Well, that’s interesting to know that Psilotum nudum are known as whisk ferns. Psilotum nudum is the commoner species of the two. While the P. flaccidum is a rare species and is found in the tropical islands. Both the species are usually epiphytic in habit and grow upon tree ferns. These species may also be terrestrial and grow in humus or in the crevices of the rocks.
View the detailed Guide of Psilotum nudum: Detailed Study Of Psilotum Nudum (Whisk Fern), Classification, Anatomy, Reproduction