Euphonia
| Euphonia | |
|---|---|
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|
| Violaceous euphonia, Euphonia violacea | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Suborder: | Passeri |
| Infraorder: | Passerida |
| Superfamily: | Passeroidea |
| Family: | Fringillidae |
| Subfamily: | Euphoniinae |
| Genus: |
Euphonia Desmarest, 1806 |
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
See text.
Euphonias are members of the genus Euphonia, a group of Neotropical birds in the finch family. They and the chlorophonias comprise the subfamily Euphoniinae.
Most euphonias are dark metallic blue above and bright yellow below. Many have contrasting pale foreheads and white undertails. Some have light blue patches on the head and/or orangish underparts. They range in overall length from 9 to 11 cm (3.5 to 4.3 in). They eat small fruit and berries particularly mistletoe (Loranthaceae). Some species may also eat some insects.
Euphonias were once considered members of the tanager family, Thraupidae. A molecular phylogenetic study of the finch family Fringillidae published in 2012 included 9 species from the genus Euphonia and a single species from the genus Chlorophonia, the blue-naped chlorophonia. The resulting cladogram showed the blue-naped chlorophonia nested within the Euphonia clade implying that the genus Euphonia is paraphyletic. The name of the genus was introduced by the French zoologist Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1806.
The genus contains 27 species:
The black-throated euphonia ("Euphonia vittata") is now thought to be a hybrid between the chestnut-bellied euphonia and the orange-bellied euphonia.
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