| Xenicus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A South Island wren. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Acanthisittidae |
| Genus: | Xenicus G.R. Gray, 1855 |
| Type species | |
| Motacilla longipes[1] Gmelin, 1789 | |
| Synonyms | |
Pachyplichas (Millener, 1988) | |
Xenicus is a genus ofbirds in the familyAcanthisittidae. It contains New Zealand wrens.
Lyall's wren was classified asXenicus lyalli but is quite divergent, so it is placed in its own genus,Traversia.
The stout-legged wrens formed aspecies pair. They had reduced wings and robust legs indicating that they were adapted to aterrestrial existence and were eitherflightless or nearly so.[2] Genetic evidence has indicated that the former genusPachyplichas is nested withinXenicus, and stout-legged wrens must have evolved from a gracile-legged ancestor. A cladogram is given below.[3]
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