Geospiza
Small ground finch (Geospiza fuliginosa)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Thraupidae
Genus: Geospiza
Gould, 1837
Type species
Geospiza magnirostris
Gould, 1837

Geospiza is a genus of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. All species in the genus are endemic to the Galápagos Islands. Together with related genera, they are collectively known as Darwin's finches. Although in the past, they were classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, more recent studies have shown they belong in the tanager family.

Taxonomy and species list

The genus Geospiza was introduced in 1837 by the English ornithologist John Gould with the large ground finch as the type species.[1][2] The genus name derives from the two Ancient Greek words γῆ (gê), meaning "earth", and σπίζα (spíza), a catch-all term for finch-like birds.[3][4] The member of the genus form part of a group collectively known as Darwin's finches.[5] Although traditionally placed with the buntings and New World sparrows in the family Emberizidae,[2] molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that Darwin's finches are members of the subfamily Coerebinae within the tanager family Thraupidae.[6]

The genus contains the following nine species.[7]

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Geospiza fuliginosaSmall ground finchGalápagos Islands
Geospiza difficilisSharp-beaked ground finchGalápagos Islands
Geospiza acutirostrisGenovesa ground finchGalápagos Islands
Geospiza septentrionalisVampire ground finchGalápagos Islands
Geospiza conirostrisEspañola cactus finchGalápagos islands
Geospiza propinquaGenovesa cactus finchGalápagos Islands
Geospiza magnirostrisLarge ground finchGalápagos Islands
Geospiza scandensCommon cactus finchGalápagos Islands
Geospiza fortisMedium ground finchGalápagos Islands

Hybrids

A purported hybrid species (informally nicknamed "Big Bird") endemic to Daphne Major and formed almost four decades prior by hybridization between a vagrant Geospiza conirostris and a Geospiza fortis was also reported in 2017, though it has yet to be formally described.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Gould, John (1837). "Remarks on a group of Ground Finches from Mr. Darwin's collection, with characters of new species". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Part 5 (49): 4-7 [5].
  2. 1 2 Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, ed. (1970). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 13. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 160.
  3. ↑ Bailly, Anatole (1981-01-01). Abrégé du dictionnaire grec français. Paris: Hachette. ISBN 978-2010035289. OCLC 461974285.
  4. ↑ Bailly, Anatole. "Greek-french dictionary online". www.tabularium.be. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  5. ↑ Sato, A.; Tichy, H.; O'hUigin, C.; Grant, P.R.; Grant, B.R.; Klein, J. (2001). "On the origin of Darwin's Finches". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 18 (3): 299–311. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a003806. PMID 11230531.
  6. ↑ Burns, K.J.; Shultz, A.J.; Title, P.O.; Mason, N.A.; Barker, F.K.; Klicka, J.; Lanyon, S.M.; Lovette, I.J. (2014). "Phylogenetics and diversification of tanagers (Passeriformes: Thraupidae), the largest radiation of Neotropical songbirds". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 75: 41–77. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2014.02.006. PMID 24583021.
  7. ↑ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2020). "Tanagers and allies". IOC World Bird List Version 10.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  8. ↑ Lamichhaney, Sangeet; Han, Fan; Webster, Matthew T.; Andersson, Leif; Grant, B. Rosemary; Grant, Peter R. (2017-11-23). "Rapid hybrid speciation in Darwin's finches". Science. 359 (6372): 224–228. doi:10.1126/science.aao4593. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 29170277.
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