Eutriorchis astur

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Cladus: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Ordo: Accipitriformes

Familia: Accipitridae
Subfamilia: Gypaetinae
Genus: Eutriorchis
Species: Eutriorchis astur
Name

Eutriorchis astur Sharpe, 1875
References

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Pt3, p.73 BHL, pl.13 BHL.
IUCN: Eutriorchis astur (Endangered)

Vernacular names
català: Serpentari de Madagascar
čeština: Orlík madagaskarský
Cymraeg: Eryr nadroedd Madagasgar
Deutsch: Madagaskar-Schlangenhabicht
English: Madagascar Serpent-Eagle
Esperanto: Madagaskara serpentaglo
español: Culebrera azor
فارسی: عقاب مارخور ماداگاسکاری
suomi: Madagaskarinkäärmehaukka
français: Firasabé de Madagascar
עברית: עיט נחשים מדגסקרי
magyar: Madagaszkári kígyászhéja
日本語: マダガスカルヘビワシ
Nederlands: Madagaskarslangenarend
polski: Pręgoczub
русский: Мадагаскарский змееяд
svenska: madagaskarörn
Tiếng Việt: Diều ăn rắn Madagascar

The Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis astur) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is placed in the monotypic genus Eutriorchis.[2] It is endemic to Madagascar.[1] Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Description

The Madagascar serpent eagle is a medium-sized raptor with a long rounded tail and short rounded wings.[3] It is dark grey on its back and a lighter grey on its belly, breast, and throat.[3] Dark barring covers the bird's body. It has yellow eyes and a sharp, hooked beak with strong talons.[3] It measures 57 to 66 cm (22 to 26 in) long with a wingspan of 90 to 110 cm (35 to 43 in).[4]
Distribution and habitat

This bird inhabits dense, humid, and broadleafed evergreen forests in northeastern and east-central Madagascar. It rarely ventures above 550 meters (1800 ft).[3]
Ecology and behavior

This serpent-eagle is diurnal. It eats lemurs both large and small, snakes, lizards, and frogs, which it hunts from high perches, swooping down from its perch and grasping its prey in its talons when it spots it.[3]
Conservation

This species was believed to be extinct, with the last confirmed sighting being from 1930.[3] However, sightings in 1977 and 1988 led to hope for the species' rediscovery.[3] It was rediscovered in 1993 by the Peregrine Fund.

This species is threatened by the destruction of its specialized habitat and a presumed low rate of reproduction.[3]
Etymology

The prefix eu- is Greek for "good". Triorchis is a Latinization (Pliny the Elder)[5] of Greek triórkhēs (τριόρχης), which Aristotle and Theophrastus used for a kind of hawk, possibly the common buzzard. The Greek word means "having three testicles".[6] This erroneous bit of anatomy has been connected with the ease of mistaking a bird's adrenal gland for a testicle.[7]

Astur is Latin for a kind of hawk.[8]
References

BirdLife International (2016). "Eutriorchis astur". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22695336A93503165. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22695336A93503165.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
Thomas M. Brooks; John D. Pilgrim; Ana S. L. Rodrigues & Gustavo A. B. Da Fonseca (2005). "Conservation status and geographic distribution of avian evolutionary history". In Andy Purvis; John L. Gittleman & Thomas Brooks (eds.). Phylogeny and Conservation. Conservation Biology. Vol. 8. Cambridge University Press. pp. 267–294. ISBN 978-0-521-82502-3.
"Madagascar Serpent Eagle". The Official World Wildlife Fund Guide to Extinct Species of Modern Times. Vol. 1. Beacham Publishing. 1997. pp. 13–14.
Raptors of the World By Ferguson Lees, Christie, David A.(2001)
Pliny the Elder, Historia Naturalis, Book 10, Chapters 9, 95, 96. English translation from the Perseus Digital Library. Both retrieved on Nov. 16, 2007.
Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, retrieved 2007-11-15
Fisher, Peter; Higgins (1998), Olaus Magnus: A Description of the Northern Peoples, 1555, translated by Humphrey, Hakluyt Society, p. 1011n, ISBN 0-904180-59-X, retrieved 2007-11-15. See Olaus Magnus and Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus
Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1897), A Latin Dictionary, retrieved 2009-01-15