Ptiloris
| Ptiloris | |
|---|---|
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| Ptiloris victoriae | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Paradisaeidae |
| Genus: |
Ptiloris Swainson 1825 |
| species | |
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See text. |
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See text.
The genus Ptiloris consists of four allopatric species of birds in the Paradisaeidae family. These birds of paradise are commonly known as riflebirds, so named for the likeness of their black velvety plumage to the uniform of the Rifle Brigade. Alternatively, the bird’s cry is similar to a rifle being fired and hitting its target but a call like this is not commonly reported (see Behaviour and Ecology). They are distributed in the rainforests of New Guinea and Eastern Australia.
The four species of riflebirds are part of the bird-of-paradise family, Paradisaeidae, in the order Passeriformes (songbirds).Ptiloris [pronounced TI-lo-ris] means “feather nose” from the Greek ptilon (feather or down) and rhis (nostril). It refers to the frontal feathers hiding the nostrils. The four species are the magnificent riflebird (P. magnificus (Vieillot 1819) – magnificent or splendid), growling riflebird (P. intercedens Sharpe 1882 – referring to its distribution between the two subspecies of P. magnificus), paradise riflebird (P. paradiseus Swainson 1825 – paradise) and Victoria's riflebird (P. victoriae Gould 1849 – after Queen Victoria). Two subspecies of P. magnificus are recognised: P. m. magnificus (Vieillot 1819) and P. m. alberti Elliot 1871; the growling riflebird is often considered a subspecies of P. magnificus as well. The subspecies have been named on the basis of distribution (see Habitat and Distribution), male attention-attracting call (see Behaviour and Ecology) and cladistic analysis.
The birds of paradise are thought to have originated 24 – 30 million years ago and belong to the radiation of passerines that occurred in Australia during the last 60 million years. As Australia become more arid over the last several million years, the birds of paradise withdrew to the regional rainforests of New Guinea and eastern Australia.Ptiloris arose from this residual stock in Australia, from which one member (P. magnificus) has since spread to New Guinea. The separation in time of the Australian and the New Guinea P. magnificus determined genetically corresponds to the separation of Australia and New Guinea geographically (ie Torres Strait).
Riflebirds are stocky medium-sized passerines with a small head and a characteristic long slender decurved bill. Adults have short broad wings with rounded tips, short tails and long sturdy legs with long powerful toes and hooked claws. Like many of the birds of paradise, adult riflebirds are sexually dimorphic, with adult males being entirely velvety black (Figure 1a) and females being mostly shades of brown (Figure 1b). Adult females are also slightly smaller and have a longer bill. Adult males are larger in P. magnificus (31 cm long, 160g; P. intercedens is similarly sized), smaller in P. paradiseus (28 cm, 135g), and smallest in P. victoriae (22 cm, 105g).
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