Chalcites
Genus of birds
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chalcites is a genus of Australasian cuckoos in the family Cuculidae. They were formerly placed in the genus Chrysococcyx.
| Chalcites | |
|---|---|
| |
| Shining bronze cuckoo (Chalcites lucidus) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Cuculiformes |
| Family: | Cuculidae |
| Genus: | Chalcites Lesson, RP, 1830 |
| Type species | |
| Cuculus plagosus Latham, 1801 | |
Taxonomy
The genus Chalcites was introduced in 1830 by the French naturalist René Lesson. The type species is, by tautology, Cuculus chalcites which is a junior synonym of Cuculus plagosus Latham, now considered to be a subspecies of the shining bronze cuckoo (Chalcites lucidus).[1][2] The genus name is from Ancient Greek χαλκιτης (khalkitēs) meaning "containing copper" or "coppery".[3]
The cuckoos in this genus were formerly placed with group of Afro-Asian cuckoos in the genus Chrysococcyx. They were moved to Chalcites based on differences in morphology and the lack of significant sexual dimorphism.[4]
The genus contains eight species:[4]
- Long-billed cuckoo, Chalcites megarhynchus
- Horsfield's bronze cuckoo, Chalcites basalis
- Black-eared cuckoo, Chalcites osculans
- Rufous-throated bronze cuckoo, Chalcites ruficollis
- Shining bronze cuckoo, Chalcites lucidus
- White-eared bronze cuckoo, Chalcites meyerii
- Little bronze cuckoo, Chalcites minutillus
- Pied bronze cuckoo, Chalcites crassirostris
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