Ceyx (bird)

Genus of birds

Ceyx
Oriental dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Alcedinidae
Subfamily: Alcedininae
Genus: Ceyx
Lacépède, 1799
Type species
Alcedo tridactyla[1]
Pallas, 1769
Species

see text

Ceyx (/ˈsɪks/ SEE-icks) is an Old World genus of river kingfishers.[2] These kingfishers are found from South East Asia to the Solomon Islands.

The genus was introduced by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1799, and derives its name from the Greek myth of Alcyone and Ceyx.[3] The type species is the black-backed dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca).[4]

A molecular phylogenetic study of the alcedinine kingfishers published in 2007 found that the genera as then defined did not form monophyletic groups.[5] The species were subsequently rearranged into four monophyletic genera. The little kingfisher, azure kingfisher, Bismarck kingfisher, southern silvery kingfisher and Indigo-banded kingfisher were moved from Alcedo to Ceyx.[6] All except one of the birds in the reconstituted genus have three rather than the usual four toes. The exception is the Sulawesi dwarf kingfisher which retains a vestigial fourth toe.[5][7]

The Moluccan dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx lepidus) was previous named the variable dwarf kingfisher and included 15 recognised subspecies. A genetic study published in 2013 found that most of the subspecies had substantially diverged from one another.[8] The species was therefore split and 12 of the subspecies were promoted to species status. At the same time the name was changed from the variable dwarf kingfisher to the Moluccan dwarf kingfisher.[6]

The two African species in the genus Ispidina were sometimes placed in this genus.[9] Compared to the related species in the genus Alcedo they are more terrestrial.[10]

There are 23 species in the genus:[6]

References

  1. ^ "Alcedinidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  2. ^ "Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words". Dictionary.com.
  3. ^ Lacépède, Bernard Germain de (1799). Discours d'ouverture du Cours d'histoire naturelle des animaux vertébrés et a sang rouge: Tableau des sous-classes, divisions, sous-divisions, ordres et genres des oiseaux. Paris: Plassan. p. 10.
  4. ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1945). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 178.
  5. ^ a b Moyle, R.G.; Fuchs, J.; Pasquet, E.; Marks, B.D. (2007). "Feeding behavior, toe count, and the phylogenetic relationships among alcedinine kingfishers (Alcedininae)". Journal of Avian Biology. 38 (3): 317–326. doi:10.1111/J.2007.0908-8857.03921.x.
  6. ^ a b c Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (December 2023). "Rollers, ground rollers & kingfishers". World Bird List Version 14.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ^ Fry, Fry & Harris 1992, pp. 8–9.
  8. ^ Andersen, M.J.; Oliveros, C.H.; Filardi, C.E.; Moyle, R.G. (2013). "Phylogeography of the Variable Dwarf-Kingfisher Ceyx lepidus (Aves: Alcedinidae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences". Auk. 130 (1): 118–131. doi:10.1525/auk.2012.12102. hdl:1808/13331. S2CID 55352878.
  9. ^ Fry, Fry & Harris 1992, pp. 195–198.
  10. ^ Woodall, Peter (2001). "Family Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)". In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 6, Mousebirds to Hornbills. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 103–187. ISBN 978-84-87334-30-6.

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ceyx.
  • Fry, C. Hilary; Fry, Kathie; Harris, Alan (1992). Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, and Rollers. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-0-7136-8028-7.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Genera of trogons, hornbills, kingfishers, woodpeckers and their extinct allies
Leptosomiformes
Leptosomidae
Eucavitaves
Trogoniformes
Trogonidae
Picocoraciae
Bucerotiformes
    • See below ↓
Picodynastornithes
Coraciiformes
    • See below ↓
Piciformes
    • See below ↓
Pharomachrus antisianus
Laurillardiidae
  • Laurillardia
Messelirrisoridae
Upupi
Phoeniculidae
Upupidae
Buceroti
Bucorvidae
Bucerotidae
​​Penelopides manillae
incertae sedis
  • Cryptornis
  • Paracoracias
  • Quasisyndactylus
Eocoraciidae
Geranopteridae
Primobucconidae
Brachypteraciidae
Coraciidae
Meropidae
Alcedines
Alcedinidae
Alcedininae
Cerylinae
Halcyoninae
Momotidae
Todidae
​​Septencoracias morsensis Ceyx cyanopectus
incertae sedis
Gracilitarsidae
Sylphornithidae
Galbuli
  • Jacamatia
Bucconidae
Galbulidae
Pici
incertae sedis
Miopiconidae
  • Miopico
Picavidae
Ramphastides
Capitonidae
Lybiidae
Megalaimidae
Ramphastidae
Semnornithidae
Picides
Indicatoridae
Picidae
    • See below ↓
Galbula hylochoreutes

Psilopogon faber&Psilopogon nuchalis

Ramphastos sulfuratus
incertae sedis
  • Bitumenpicus
  • Breacopus
  • Palaeonerpes
  • Palaeopicus
  • Piculoides
Jynginae
Picumninae
  • Picumnus
Sasiinae
Picinae
  • Australopicus
  • Palaeonerpes
  • Pliopicus
Nesoctitini
Hemicircini
Picini
Campephilini
Melanerpini
Campephilus principalis
Taxon identifiers
Ceyx