| Antpitta | |
|---|---|
_Las_Tangaras.jpg) | |
| Chestnut-naped antpitta (Grallaria nuchalis ruficeps) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Infraorder: | Tyrannides |
| Parvorder: | Furnariida |
| Family: | Grallariidae P.L. Sclater andSalvin,[1] 1873 |
| Genera | |
Grallariidae is afamily of smallishsuboscinepasserine birds of subtropical and tropicalCentral andSouth America known asantpittas. They are between 10 and 20 cm (4 and 8 in) long, and are related to theantbirds, Thamnophilidae, andgnateaters, Conopophagidae.
The antpittas were formerly placed in the familyFormicariidae. Beginning in 2002 a series of molecular genetic studies found that Formicariidae, as then defined, wasnon-monophyletic.[2][3][4][5] In 2008, theAmerican Ornithologists' Union reorganised the genera to create monophyletic families and moved the antpittas to their own family Grallariidae.[6] This family now contains 68species in one large and four fairly smallgenera.[7]
These are forest birds that tend to feed at or near the ground since many are specialistant eaters. Most are drab in appearance with shades of (rusty) brown, black, and white being their dominant tones. Compared to other birds that specialize in following ants, this family is the most tied to the ground. The long, powerful legs (which lend the birds a distinctive upright posture) and an essentiallyvestigial tail aid this lifestyle.
Theantpittas are sexually monomorphic; they resemble thetrue pittas in that they are virtually tailless; they hop like somethrushes, and are much easier to hear than see—although their vocalizations may be rather atypical forperching birds.
They lay 1 to 6[8] eggs in a nest in a tree, both sexes incubating.
The following cladogram shows the phylogeny of the antipitta family. It is based on a largemolecular phylogenetic study of thesuboscines by Michael Harvey and collaborators that was published in 2020. The three species in the genusMyrmothera were found to be embedded in the genusHylopezus.[9] The species are those recognised by theInternational Ornithologists' Union (IOC).[7]
| Grallariidae |
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Typical antpittas – tribeGrallariini/subfamilyGrallariinae
Lesser antpittas – possibly tribeMyrmotherini/subfamilyMyrmotherinae
Media related toGrallariidae at Wikimedia Commons