| Phasianinae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Erectile clade: represented by a Mongolian ringneck-typecommon pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) cock | |
 | |
| Nonerectile clade: represented by anIndian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) peacock | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Subfamily: | Phasianinae Horsfield, 1821 |
| Type genus | |
| Phasianus | |
| Genera | |
See text | |
ThePhasianinae (Horsfield, 1821) are asubfamily under thefamilyPhasianidae of theorderGalliformes. This subfamily notably includes thetrue pheasants,tragopans,tetraonids,Coturnicini,Pavonini, amongst other members.[1]
Although this placement was once consideredmonophyletic and separate from the partridges,francolins andOld World quail (now-defunctPerdicinae) until the early 1990s,[1][2]molecular phylogenies have shown that this subfamily isparaphyletic. For instance, certaingenera likeLophophorus andMeleagris, as well as members of the genusPerdix, are cladistically more closely related to grouse and true pheasants, whereas other genera likeTetraogallus,Coturnix, and members in the genusAlectoris, share a much closer kinship topeafowl andjunglefowl.[3][4] There are two clades in this subfamily: the erectile clade and the non-erectile clade, referring to erectile tissue in the bare, non-feathered parts of the face. Both clades are believed to have diverged during the earlyOligocene, about 30 million years ago.[5]
The Phasianinae are characterized by strongsexual dimorphism, with males being highly ornate not limited to distinct coloration and patterning, as well as adornments such as combs,wattles,air sacs, tufts, crests, and long modified uppertail coverts (trains) andrectrices. Males are typically larger and heavier than females. Males play little to no part in rearing their offspring except a few species like thewillow ptarmigan.[6]
Their diet generally consists of seeds, grains, greens, and some invertebrates, with several being seasonally-specialized herbivores like grouse.[7]
This list is ordered to showpresumed relationships between species. Tribes and subfamily names are based on the 4th edition of theHoward and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Genera without a tribe are considered to belong to tribeincertae sedis.[8][9]
| Image | Tribe | Genera |
|---|---|---|
 | incertae sedis |
|
 | incertae sedis |
|
 | Lophophorini |
|
 | incertae sedis |
|
 | Tetraonini |
|
 | incertae sedis |
|
.jpg) | incertae sedis |
|
 | Phasianini |
|
| Image | Tribe | Genera |
|---|---|---|
 | Pavonini |
|
 | incertae sedis |
|
 | incertae sedis |
|
 | incertae sedis | |
 | incertae sedis |
|
_Male.jpg) | Gallini |
|
.jpg) | Coturnicini |
|
