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
Ordo: 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: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Palaeognathae
Ordo: Struthioniformes
Familia: Struthionidae
Genus: Struthio
Species: Struthio molybdophanes
Name
Struthio molybdophanes Reichenow, 1883
References
Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung Sonntagsblatt 37.
Freitag, S. & Robinson, T. J. (1993). Phylogeographic Patterns in Mitochondrial DNA of the Ostrich (Strutio camelus). The Auk 110 (3): 614-622.
Miller, J. M., Miller, J. M., Hallager, S., Monfort, S. L., Newby, J., Bishop, K., Tidmus, S. A., Black, P., Houston, B., Matthee, C. A., & Fleischer, R. C. (2011). Phylogeographic analysis of nuclear and mtDNA supports subspecies designations in the ostrich (Struthio camelus). Conservation Genetics 12 (2): 423-431.
Vernacular names
brezhoneg: Struskañval Somalia
català: Estruç somali
dansk: Somalistruds
Deutsch: Somalistrauß
English: Somali Ostrich
Esperanto: Somalia struto
español: Avestruz somalí
فارسی: شترمرغ سومالی
suomi: Somalianstrutsi
français: Autruche de Somalie
hrvatski: Somalijski noj
italiano: Struzzo somalo
Nederlands: Somalische struisvogel
polski: Struś szaroskóry
русский: Сомалийский страус
Soomaaliga: Goronyo soomaaliyeed
svenska: Somaliastruts
ไทย: นกกระจอกเทศโซมาลี
The Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes), also known as the blue-necked ostrich, is a large flightless bird native to the Horn of Africa.[4] It was previously considered a subspecies of the common ostrich, but was identified as a distinct species in 2014.[1]
Taxonomy and systematics
Struthio molybdophanes was first described in the Norddeutsche allgemeine Zeitung Sunday Supplement of 16 September 1883 by Anton Reichenow, who noted the ostrich's distribution as extending over the plains of Somali- and western Galla-Land on the east coast of Africa from 10 degrees north to the Equator.[5][6] Molecular evidence indicates that the East African Rift has served as a geographic barrier to isolate the taxon from the nominate subspecies, the North African ostrich S. c. camelus, while ecological and behavioural differences have kept it genetically distinct from the neighbouring Masai ostrich S. c. massaicus.[7] An examination of the mitochondrial DNA of Struthio taxa, including the extinct Arabian ostrich S. c. syriacus, has found that the Somali ostrich is phylogenetically the most distinct, appearing to have diverged from their common ancestor some 3.6 to 4.1 million years ago.[7][8]
Description
Though generally similar to other ostriches, the skin of the neck and thighs of the Somali ostrich is blue (rather than pinkish), becoming bright blue on the male during the mating season. The neck lacks a typical broad white ring, and the tail feathers are white. The males are larger than the females.[9][10] The Somali ostrich is similar in size to other ostriches so far as is known, perhaps averaging marginally smaller in body mass than some subspecies of common ostrich (at least the nominate race, S. c. camelus). Reportedly Somali ostriches in captivity weigh about 105 kg (231 lb) but this may not be an accurate weight for wild birds as captive animals have feeding accesses not available to wild ostriches.[11] It is thus one of the two largest extant bird species.
Distribution and habitat
The Somali ostrich is mostly found in the Horn of Africa, especially in north-eastern Ethiopia, southern Djibouti, most of Kenya, and across most of Somalia.[9]
Behaviour and ecology
The Somali ostrich is differentiated ecologically from the common ostrich, with which there is some range overlap, by preferring bushier, more thickly vegetated areas, where it feeds largely by browsing, whereas the common ostrich is mainly a grazer on open savanna. There are also reports of interbreeding difficulties between the two taxa.[7]
Status and conservation
A report to the IUCN in 2006 suggests that the Somali ostrich was common in the central and southern regions of Somalia in the 1970s and 1980s. However, following the political disintegration of that country and the lack of any effective wildlife conservation, its range and numbers there have since been shrinking as a result of uncontrolled hunting for meat, medicinal products and eggs, with the bird facing eradication in the Horn of Africa.[12] In Kenya it is farmed for meat, feathers and eggs.
Notes
Only populations of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan. No other populations are included in the CITES Appendices.
References
BirdLife International (2016). "Struthio molybdophanes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22732795A95049558. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22732795A95049558.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
"Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
"Somali Ostrich". Avibase.
Redman, N.; Stevenson, T.; Fanshawe, J. (2016). Birds of the Horn of Africa: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, and Socotra - Revised and Expanded Edition. Princeton Field Guides. Princeton University Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-691-17289-7. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
Dr. Reichenow (16 September 1883). "Immer Neues aus Afrika". Sonntags-Beilage zur Norddeutschen allgemeinen Zeitung (in German). No. 37. p. 148 [end of p. 14 in viewer].
Reichenow, Anton (October 1883). "Immer Neues aus Afrika". Mittheilungen des Ornithologischen Vereines in Wien (in German). 7 (10): 202.
Freitag, Stephanie & Robinson, Terence J. (1993). "Phylogeographic patterns in mitochondrial DNA of the Ostrich (Struthio camelus)" (PDF). The Auk. 110 (3): 614–622. doi:10.2307/4088425. JSTOR 4088425.
Robinson, Terence J. & Matthee, Conrad A. (1999). "Molecular genetic relationships of the extinct ostrich, Struthio camelus syriacus: consequences for ostrich introductions into Saudi Arabia". Animal Conservation. 2 (3): 165–171. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1795.1999.tb00062.x.
Shanawany, M.M. & Dingle, John (1999). Ostrich production systems, Part 1. Food and Agriculture Organisation. p. 12. ISBN 978-92-5-104300-4.
Roots, Clive (2006). Flightless birds. Greenwood Press. p. 26. ISBN 0-313-33545-1.
Davids, A. H. (2011). Estimation of genetic distances and heterosis in three ostrich (Struthio camelus) breeds for the improvement of productivity (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch: University of Stellenbosch).
Amir, Osman G. (2006). Wildlife trade in Somalia (PDF). World Conservation Union – Species Survival Commission. p. 12.
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