| Solomons frogmouth | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Strisores |
| Order: | Podargiformes |
| Family: | Podargidae |
| Genus: | Rigidipenna Cleere et al., 2007 |
| Species: | R. inexpectata |
| Binomial name | |
| Rigidipenna inexpectata (Hartert, 1901) | |
| Synonyms | |
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TheSolomons frogmouth (Rigidipenna inexpectata), also known as theCinnamon frogmouth orSolomon Islands frogmouth, is abird in thefrogmouthfamily. It was first described in 1901, but not recognized as a distinct species until 2007.[2] The Solomons frogmouth is theonly known member of thegenusRigidipenna. It is alsoendemic to the islands ofIsabel,Bougainville andGuadalcanal in theSolomon Islandsarchipelago, in the countries ofPapua New Guinea and theSolomon Islands.[3]
When first encountered, the Solomons frogmouth was thought to be asubspecies of the Australianmarbled frogmouth (Podargus ocellatus). However, an expedition by theFlorida Museum of Natural History toSanta Isabel Island managed to collect a newspecimen in 1998. Upon examination, the ornithologistsNigel Cleere, Andrew Kratter, together with paleontologistDavid Steadman, Michael Braun, Christopher Huddleston, evolutionary biologistChristopher Filardi, and ornithologistGuy Dutson realized that it was highly distinct fromP. ocellatus. As a result of this apparent distinction, the Solomons frogmouth was moved to a newly-coined genus,Rigidipenna in 2007.[2]
The Solomons frogmouth differs from other frogmouths in several ways. For instance, this species has only eight tail feathers instead of the more usual ten or twelve seen in other frogmouths, and the feathers are generally more coarse in texture. It also has barredprimary feathers and tail feathers, larger speckles and more pronounced white spots.Storrs Olson, a senior zoologist at theSmithsonian Institution, has stated that the Solomons frogmouth's position as a new species "has profoundbiogeographical implications and represents a real breakthrough in elucidating the evolutionary history of the family."[3]
