peltops

The genus Peltops was introduced by the German zoologist Johann Georg Wagler in 1829.{{ cite journal | last=Wagler | first=Johann Georg | year=1829 | title=Genus Eurylaimus | journal=Isis von Oken | volume=22 | language=Latin, German | at=col. 656 | url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27011894 }} The type species is the lowland peltops.{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Cottrell | editor2-first=G. William | year=1986 | title=Check-list of Birds of the World | volume=11 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=529 | url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14484230 }} The name is from the Greek pelte meaning small shield and ops meaning face.{{cite book | last = Jobling | first = James A. | title = A Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 1991 | location = Oxford | pages = 176 | isbn = 0-19-854634-3 }} The genus was once placed with the monarch flycatchers, but molecular and morphometric studies place it closer to the butcherbirds,{{cite journal|last=Sibley |first=CG|author2=JE Ahlquist |year=1984|title=The relationships of the Papuan genus Peltops|journal=Emu|volume=84|issue=3|pages=181–183 | doi = 10.1071/MU9840181 |bibcode=1984EmuAO..84..181S }} possibly as a sister taxon to this group.{{cite journal|last= Manegold|first=A|year=2008|title=Composition and phylogenetic affinities of vangas (Vangidae, Oscines, Passeriformes) based on morphological characters|journal=Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research|volume=46|issue=3|pages=267–277 | doi = 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2008.00458.x|doi-access=free}} The genus is placed in its own subfamily, Peltopsinae.{{cite web | editor-last=del Hoyo | editor-first=Joseph | title=Taxonomic structure and notes | work=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive | publisher=Lynx Edicions | url=https://www.hbw.com/our-taxonomy | accessdate=5 December 2017}}{{ cite book | editor-last1=Dickinson | editor-first1=E.C. | editor1-link=Edward C. Dickinson | editor-last2=Christidis | editor-first2=L. | editor2-link=Leslie Christidis | year=2014 | title=The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 2: Passerines | edition=4th | place=Eastbourne, UK | publisher=Aves Press | isbn=978-0-9568611-2-2 | page=205 }}

The genus contains two species:{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | year=2017 | title=Bristlehead, Butcherbirds, Woodswallows & Cuckooshrikes | work=World Bird List Version 7.3 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/butcherbirds/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | accessdate=5 December 2017 }}

Peltops are smaller than the butcherbirds, and have a less massive but still large bill. The mountain peltops is the larger species, at {{convert|20|cm|in|abbr=on}}, whereas the lowland peltops is slightly smaller at {{convert|18|to(-)|19|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The hooked bill is the same size in both species, making it proportionally larger in the lowland peltops.

Both species occupy rainforest on New Guinea, but are separated by altitude. The lowland peltops ranges across the island from sea level to {{convert|600|m|ft|abbr=on}}, whereas the mountain peltops ranges from {{convert|600|to(-)|3000|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Within the forest they are particularly common at forest openings and edges, tree falls, river edges, and other disturbed areas including human modified openings like roads and gardens. In undisturbed virgin forest they may use massive trees emerging from and above the canopy.{{cite book|first1=Eleanor| last1=Russell| first2= Ian|last2=Rowley|editor1=del Hoyo, Josep |editor2=Elliott, Andrew |editor3=Christie, David|contribution=Family Cracticidae (Butcherbirds)|title=Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows|year=2009|location=Barcelona|publisher=Lynx Edicions|isbn=978-84-96553-50-7|pages=308–342}}

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Category:Bird genera

Category:Cracticidae

Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

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