Biology:Nyctanassa

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Nyctanassa is a genus of night herons from the Americas, especially (but not exclusively) warmer coastal regions. They were formerly included in the genus Nycticorax, but today all major authorities recognize them as distinct.

Taxonomy

The genus Nyctanassa was introduced in 1887 by the Norwegian born zoologist Leonhard Stejneger to accommodate a single species, the yellow-crowned night heron, which is therefore the type species.[1][2]

Etymology

The genus name Nyctanassa combines the Ancient Greek: νύξ : núx, genitive νυκτός : nuktós meaning "night" with άνασσα : ánassa meaning "queen" or "lady".[3]

Species

The genus contains the following two species, of which only one is still extant:[4]

Image Scientific name Common name Distribution
120px Nyctanassa violacea Yellow-crowned night heron United States (South Florida, Gulf Coast, and eastern Texas), Mexico, Central America, Galápagos, the Caribbean and northern South America (south to Peru and Brazil)
120px Nyctanassa carcinocatactes Bermuda night heron Bermuda; extinct

References

  1. Stejneger, Leonhard (1887). "Review of Japanese birds: V. Ibises, storks, and herons". Proceedings of the United States National Museum 10 (628): 271–319 [295, Footnote]. doi:10.5479/si.00963801.10-628.271. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7485577. 
  2. Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds (1979). Check-List of Birds of the World. 1 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 227. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16108867. 
  3. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 277. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4. https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n277/mode/1up. 
  4. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds (December 2023). "Ibis, spoonbills, herons, Hamerkop, Shoebill, pelicans". IOC World Bird List Version 14.1. International Ornithologists' Union. https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/pelicans/. 

Further reading

Template:Pelecaniformes genera Wikidata ☰ Q794868 entry