Mentocrex
Genus of birds
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mentocrex is a genus of birds in the flufftail family, Sarothruridae. The genus includes two species, both of which are endemic to forests in Madagascar.
| Mentocrex | |
|---|---|
| Madagascar wood rail Mentocrex kioloides | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Gruiformes |
| Family: | Sarothruridae |
| Genus: | Mentocrex Peters, JL, 1932 |
| Species | |
|
2, see text | |
Species
The genus contains two species.[1]
- Madagascar forest rail (Mentocrex kioloides)
- Tsingy forest rail (Mentocrex beankaensis)
These two species were formerly placed in the genus Canirallus together with the grey-throated rail (Canirallus oculeus). A molecular genetic study published in 2019 found that the grey-throated rail is not closely related to the Madagascan and tsingy forest rails. The grey-throated rail is related to the Rallidae while the wood rails are closely related to the Sarothrura.[2]