Struthio

Struthio Temporal range: Miocene-Holocene, 23–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Common ostrich (Struthio camelus), male and female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Struthioniformes
Family:	Struthionidae
Genus:	Struthio Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758
Species
†Struthio coppensi †Struthio linxiaensis †Struthio orlovi †Struthio wimani †Struthio brachydactylus †Struthio asiaticus Asian ostrich †Struthio dmanisensis †Struthio oldawayi Struthio molybdophanes Somali ostrich Struthio camelus Common ostrich

†Struthio coppensi
†Struthio linxiaensis
†Struthio orlovi
†Struthio wimani
†Struthio brachydactylus
†Struthio asiaticus Asian ostrich
†Struthio dmanisensis
†Struthio oldawayi
Struthio molybdophanes Somali ostrich
Struthio camelus Common ostrich

Struthio is a genus of bird in the order Struthioniformes. Both living species are called ostriches.

There are ten known species from this genus, of which eight are extinct. There are five more possible species of which trace fossils have been found. They are:

The earliest fossils from this genus are from the early Miocene (20–25 mya), and are from Africa, so it is proposed that they originated there. Then by the middle to late Miocene (5–13 mya) they had spread to Eurasia. By about 12 mya they had evolved into the larger size of which we are familiar. By this time they had spread to Mongolia and, later, South Africa.

The genus Struthio used to include the emu, rhea and cassowary, until they each were placed in their own genera. The Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, has recently become recognized as a separate species by some authorities, while others are still reviewing the information.

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Wikipedia