''Nesoenas'' is a bird genus in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It is often included with the typical turtle-doves in '' Streptopelia'' or the

typical pigeons The large bird genus ''Columba'' comprises a group of medium to large pigeons. The terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used indiscriminately for smaller and larger Columbidae, respectively. ''Columba'' species – at least those of ''Columba sensu ...

(''Columba''). By those who accepted it, it was usually treated as monotypic, containing only the pink pigeon (''N. mayeri'') of Mauritius.Researchgate
/ref> Recent cladistic analysis of mtDNA cytochrome ''b'', cytochrome ''c'' oxidase

subunit Subunit may refer to: *Subunit HIV vaccine, a class of HIV vaccine *Protein subunit, a protein molecule that assembles with other protein molecules *Monomer, a molecule that may bind chemically to other molecules to form a polymer *Sub-subunit, a ...

I and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2, as well as

nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics *Nuclear space * Nuclear ...

β-fibrinogen Fibrinogen beta chain, also known as FGB, is a gene found in humans and most other vertebrates with a similar system of blood coagulation. The protein encoded by this gene is the beta component of fibrinogen, a blood-borne glycoprotein composed o ...

intron An intron is any nucleotide sequence within a gene that is not expressed or operative in the final RNA product. The word ''intron'' is derived from the term ''intragenic region'', i.e. a region inside a gene."The notion of the cistron .e., gene. ...

7 sequence data, combined with a distinct morphology and behaviour, suggest that the genus is valid but not monotypic. ''Nesoenas'' should actually refer to the apparently

monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...

lineage of Columbidae from the Madagascar– Mascarenes region. Though most closely related to both ''Streptopelia'' and ''Columba'', it cannot be unequivocally be considered a

basal Basal or basilar is a term meaning ''base'', ''bottom'', or ''minimum''. Science * Basal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location for features associated with the base of an organism or structure * Basal (medicine), a minimal level that is nec ...

branch of either. Separating from its relatives in ''Columba'' and ''Streptopelia'' probably in the

Late Miocene The Late Miocene (also known as Upper Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages. The Tortonian and Messinian stages comprise the Late Miocene sub-epoch, which lasted from 11.63 Ma (million ye ...

, perhaps some 8–7 million years ago, this lineage has characteristic vocalizations, and a generally reddish-hued plumage with a darker back and lighter underparts and head. At least in the living species, the rump and tail are colored contrastingly. The living species differ much in size, and the pink pigeon (and presumably its extinct

Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...

relative too) is notably large and apomorphic compared to the rather plesiomorphic but widespread

Malagasy turtle dove The Malagasy turtle dove (''Nesoenas picturatus'') is a bird species in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It is found in Mauritian-Indian Ocean Territory, the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion, and the Seychelles. Taxono ...

(''N. picturata''). But even though the latter species has display plumage on the neck similar to that of several ''Columba'' and ''Streptopelia'', these feathers have somewhat bifurcated tips, unlike in the two related genera. Theoretically, the smaller lineage could be separated as ''Homopelia'', but most modern authors would probably consider this oversplitting.

Species

The genus contains three species, of which one is now extinct: *

or Malagasy turtle-dove, ''Nesoenas picturatus'' * † Rodrigues pigeon, ''Nesoenas rodericanus'' –

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

(before 1690?) * Pink pigeon, ''Nesoenas mayeri'' Another extinct species may belong to this genus: * †

Mauritian turtle dove The Mauritian turtle dove (''Nesoenas cicur'') is an extinct species of the pigeon genus ''Nesoenas'' which was endemic to Mauritius. The holotype is a right tarsometatarsus The tarsometatarsus is a bone that is only found in the lower leg ...

, ''Nesoenas cicur''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2351447 Columbidae Bird genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot