Porphyrio poliocephalus; Kerala, India (Information about this image)
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: Gruiformes
Familia: Rallidae
Genus: Porphyrio
Species: Porphyrio poliocephalus
Subspecies: P. p. poliocephalus – P. p. seistanicus – P. p. viridis
Name
Porphyrio poliocephalus (Latham, 1802)
Synonyms
Gallinula poliocephalus (protonym)
Porphyrio porphyrio poliocephalus
Porphyrio porphyrio caspius Hartert, 1917
References
Supplementum Indicis Ornithologici: lxviii
Vernacular names
English: Grey-headed Swamphen
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ: ਨੀਲੀ ਜਲ ਕੁੱਕੜੀ
தமிழ்: நீலத் தாழைக் கோழி
The grey-headed swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus) is a species of swamphen occurring from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen, but was elevated to full species status in 2015; today the purple swamphen is considered a superspecies and each of its six subspecies groups are designated full species.[1]
The male has an elaborate courtship display, holding water weeds in his bill and bowing to the female with loud chuckles.[2]
The grey-headed swamphen was introduced to North America in the late 1990s due to avicultural escapes in the Pembroke Pines, Florida area. State wildlife biologists attempted to eradicate the birds, but they have multiplied and can now be found in many areas of southern Florida. Ornithological authorities consider it likely that the swamphen will become an established part of Florida's avifauna.[3] It was added to the American Birding Association checklist in February 2013.[4]
Taxonomy and systematics
The grey-headed swamphen is one of 15 species in the genus Porphyrio. It was classified as a subspecies of P. porphyrio until 2015, when the purple swamphen species complex was split into 6 species.
Subspecies
P. p. poliocephalus Latham, 1801: The nominate subspecies. Found from India (including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and Sri Lanka to southern China and northern Thailand.
P. p. seistanicus Zarudny and Härms, 1911: Found from Iraq and southern Iran to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and northwestern India. There is also an introduced population in Florida.
P. p. caspius Hartert, 1917 : Found near the Caspian Sea, northwestern Iran, and Turkey.
References
"2015 taxonomy update for Indian birds | eBird India". ebird.org. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
Ali, Salim; JC Daniel (1983). The book of Indian Birds, Twelfth Centenary edition. New Delhi: Bombay Natural History Society/Oxford University Press.
Pranty, Bill, Kim Schnitzius, Kevin Schnitzius, and Helen W. Lovell. 2000. Discovery, distribution, and origin of the purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) in Florida.' Florida Field Naturalist 28: 1–11.
Floyd, Ted (13 Feb 2013). "#977, Purple Swamphen!". American Birding Association. Retrieved 13 Feb 2013.
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