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Prophaeton
''Prophaethon'' is an extinct genus of seabird that lived during the Early Eocene (Ypresian, c.56-49 mya (unit), mya). It is essentially known from fairly comprehensive remains of a single individual, namely skull and some limb bones, which were recovered from the London Clay on the Isle of Sheppey, England. Some more indeterminable remains from the Late Paleocene of Maryland, US might also belong here. Thus, the genus contains only a single species, ''Prophaethon shrubsolei''. As indicated by its name, it is a distant relative of the tropicbirds. References Eocene birds Bird genera Prophaethontidae Extinct birds of Europe {{Pelecaniformes-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tropicbird
Tropicbirds are a family, Phaethontidae, of tropical pelagic seabirds. They are the sole living representatives of the order Phaethontiformes. For many years they were considered part of the Pelecaniformes, but genetics indicates they are most closely related to the Eurypygiformes. There are three species in one genus, ''Phaethon''. The scientific names are derived from Ancient Greek ''phaethon'', "sun". They have predominantly white plumage with elongated tail feathers and small feeble legs and feet. Taxonomy, systematics and evolution The genus ''Phaethon'' was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. The name is from Ancient Greek ''phaethōn'' meaning "sun". The type species was designated as the red-billed tropicbird (''Phaethon aethereus'') by George Robert Gray in 1840. Tropicbirds were traditionally grouped in the order Pelecaniformes, which contained the pelicans, cormorants and shags, darters, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
