''Porphyrio'' is the swamphen or swamp hen
bird genus in the
rail family. It includes some smaller species which are usually called "purple gallinules", and which are sometimes separated as genus ''Porphyrula'' or united with the gallinules proper (or "moorhens") in ''
Gallinula''. The ''Porphyrio'' gallinules are distributed in the warmer regions of the world. The group probably originated in Africa in the Middle Miocene, before spreading across the world in waves from the Late Miocene to Pleistocene.
The
genus ''Porphyrio'' was introduced by the French zoologist
Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the
western swamphen
The western swamphen (known as Purple Swamphen) (''Porphyrio porphyrio'') is a swamphen in the rail family Rallidae, one of the six species of purple swamphen. From the French name ''talève sultane'', it is also known as the sultana bird. This ...
(''Porphyrio porphyrio'') as the
type species. The genus name ''Porphyrio'' is the
Latin name for "swamphen",
meaning "
purple".
Species
The genus contains ten extant species and two that have become extinct in historical times:
Extant species
*
Purple swamphen The purple swamphen has been split into the following species:
* Western swamphen, ''Porphyrio porphyrio'', southwest Europe and northwest Africa
* African swamphen, ''Porphyrio madagascariensis'', sub-Saharan continental Africa and Madagascar
* Gr ...
complex
**
Western swamphen
The western swamphen (known as Purple Swamphen) (''Porphyrio porphyrio'') is a swamphen in the rail family Rallidae, one of the six species of purple swamphen. From the French name ''talève sultane'', it is also known as the sultana bird. This ...
, ''Porphyrio porphyrio''
**
African swamphen
The African swamphen (''Porphyrio madagascariensis'') is a species of swamphen occurring in Egypt, Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen, which it resembles, but with bronze green or gre ...
, ''Porphyrio madagascariensis''
**
Grey-headed swamphen
The grey-headed swamphen (''Porphyrio poliocephalus'') is a species of swamphen occurring from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent to southern China and northern Thailand. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen, bu ...
, ''Porphyrio poliocephalus''
**
Black-backed swamphen
The black-backed swamphen (''Porphyrio indicus'') is a species of swamphen occurring from southeast Asia to Sulawesi and Borneo. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen The purple swamphen has been split into the following sp ...
, ''Porphyrio indicus''
**
Philippine swamphen
Philippine swamphen (''Porphyrio pulverulentus'' Temminck, 1826) is a species of swamphen occurring in The Philippines. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen The purple swamphen has been split into the following species:
...
, ''Porphyrio pulverulentus''
**
Australasian swamphen
The Australasian swamphen (''Porphyrio melanotus'') is a species of swamphen (''Porphyrio'') occurring in eastern Indonesia (the Moluccas, Aru and Kai Islands), Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. In New Zealand, it is known as the pu ...
, ''Porphyrio melanotus''
*
South Island takahē
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...
, ''Porphyrio hochstetteri''
*
Allen's gallinule
Allen's gallinule (''Porphyrio alleni''), formerly known as the lesser gallinule, is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. Its former binomial name is ''Porphyrula alleni''. ''Porphyrio'' is the Latin for "swamphen", and ''alleni'', like the ...
, also known as lesser gallinule, ''Porphyrio alleni'' (formerly ''Porphyrula alleni'')
*
American purple gallinule
The purple gallinule (''Porphyrio martinicus'') is a swamphen in the genus ''Porphyrio''. It is in the order Gruiformes, meaning "crane-like", an order which also contains cranes, rails, and crakes. The purple gallinule is a rail (bird), rail sp ...
, ''Porphyrio martinicus'' (formerly ''Porphyrula martinica'')
*
Azure gallinule
The azure gallinule (''Porphyrio flavirostris'') is a species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Per ...
, ''Porphyrio flavirostris''
Extinct species
*
Lord Howe swamphen, ''Porphyrio albus'' (early 19th century)
*
Réunion swamphen
The Réunion swamphen (''Porphyrio caerulescens''), also known as the Réunion gallinule or ' (French for "blue bird"), is a hypothetical extinct species of rail that was endemic to the Mascarene island of Réunion. While only known from 17th- ...
, or ', ''Porphyrio coerulescens'' (18th century, hypothetical species)
*
Marquesas swamphen
Marquesas swamphen (''Porphyrio paepae'') is a presumably extinct species of swamphen from the Marquesas Islands Hiva Oa and Tahuata. It was originally described from 600-year-old subfossil remains from Tahuata and Hiva Oa. It may have survived ...
, ''Porphyrio paepae'' (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
or )
*
North Island takahē
The North Island takahē ( mi, moho) (''Porphyrio mantelli'') is an extinct rail that was found in the North Island of New Zealand. This flightless species is known from subfossils from a number of archeological sites and from one possible 189 ...
, or ', ''Porphyrio mantelli'' (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
or 1890s)
*
New Caledonian swamphen
The New Caledonian gallinule (''Porphyrio kukwiedei'') was a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It was endemic to New Caledonia and probably became extinct due to hunting, habitat loss and the presence of invasive species following human set ...
, ''Porphyrio kukwiedei'' (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
or more recent)
*
Huahine swamphen, ''Porphyrio mcnabi'' (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
)
* Buka swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
)
* Giant swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
)
* New Ireland swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
)
* Norfolk Island swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
)
* Rota swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
)
* Mangaia swamphen/woodhen, ?''Porphyrio'' sp. (
prehistoric
Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins 3.3 million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use of ...
) - would belong into ''Porphyrula'', ''Gallinula'' or ''Pareudiastes''
References
*Taylor, P. Barry & van Perlo, Ber (1998): ''Rails: a guide to the rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots of the world''. Yale University Press, New Haven.
External links
Swamphens fighting, Centennial Park, Sydney YouTube
Swamphens fighting, Centennial Park, Sydney YouTube
Bird genera
Taxa named by Mathurin Jacques Brisson
{{Gruiformes-stub
