Momotus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Subsectio: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Euornithes
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Ornithurae
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Ordo: Coraciiformes

Familia: Momotidae
Genus: Momotus
Species: M. aequatorialis – M. bahamensis – M. coeruliceps – M. lessonii – M. mexicanus – M. momota – M. subrufescens
Name

Momotus Brisson, 1760
Typus

Ramphastos momota Linnaeus, 1766 = Momotus momota

Synonyms

Baryphonus Vieillot, 1816
Crybelus Cabanis & Heine, 1859
Momot Lacépède, 1801 [variation]
Momota [variation]
Motmotus [variation]

References
Primary references

Brisson, M.J. 1760. Ornithologie ou méthode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, especes & leurs variétés. A laquelle on a joint une description exacte de chaque espece, avec les citations des auteurs qui en ont traité, les noms qu'ils leur ont donnés, ceux que leur ont donnés les différentes nations, & les noms vulgaires. Ouvrage enrichi de figures en taille-douce. Tome I. - pp. j-xxiv [= 1-24], 1-526, j-lxxiij [= 1-73], Pl. I-XXXVII [= 1-37]. Paris. (Bauche). Original description p.44 BHL Reference page. Pl.I fig.14 BHL Tome 4 p.465 BHL Pl.XXXV fig.3 BHL

References

Stiles, F. G. 2009. A review of the genus Momotus (Coraciiformes: Momotidae) in northern South America and adjacent areas. Ornitología Colombiana 8: 29–75. Full article (PDF).Reference page.

Momotus is a small genus of the motmots, a family of near passerine birds found in forest and woodland of the Neotropics. They have a colourful plumage, which is green on the back becoming blue on the flight feathers and the long tails. The barbs near the ends of the two longest central tail feathers fall off, leaving a length of bare shaft so that tails appear racket-shaped.

Momotus species, like other motmots, eat small prey such as insects and lizards, and will also take fruit. They nest in tunnels in banks, laying about four white eggs.

The genus Momotus was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the Amazonian motmot (Momotus momota) as the type species.[1][2]
Species

The species complex, the blue-crowned motmot (Momotus momota), has been split into several species.[3][4] The genus now contains seven species:[3]

Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
Momotus mexicanus	Russet-crowned motmot	Guatemala and Mexico
Momotus momota	Amazonian motmot	eastern Venezuela to north-eastern Argentina
Momotus coeruliceps	Blue-capped motmot	eastern Mexico
Momotus aequatorialis	Andean motmot	northern Colombia to western Bolivia
Momotus bahamensis	Trinidad motmot	Trinidad and Tobago
Momotus lessonii	Lesson's motmot	southern Mexico to western Panama
Momotus subrufescens	Whooping motmot	southern Panama to northwestern Peru

References

Brisson, Mathurin Jacques (1760). Ornithologie, ou, Méthode Contenant la Division des Oiseaux en Ordres, Sections, Genres, Especes & leurs Variétés (in French and Latin). Paris: Jean-Baptiste Bauche. Vol. 1, p. 44, Vol. 4, p. 465.
Peters, James Lee, ed. (1945). Check-list of Birds of the World. Volume 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 225.
Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2019). "Todies, motmots, bee-eaters, hoopoes, wood hoopoes, hornbills". World Bird List Version 9.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 3 April 2019.

Stiles, F.G. (2009). "A review of the genus Momotus (Coraciiformes: Momotidae) in northern South America and adjacent areas". Ornitología Colombiana. 8: 29–75.