Lyrurus is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily. They are known as black grouse because the male's plumage of both species is colored black as its base colour.
Lyrurus Temporal range: Early Pliocene to recent
| |
---|---|
Black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Galliformes |
Family: | Phasianidae |
Tribe: | Tetraonini |
Genus: | Lyrurus Swainson, 1832 |
Type species | |
Tetrao tetrix (black grouse) Linnaeus, 1758
| |
Species | |
Taxonomy
editThe genus Lyrurus was introduced in 1832 by the English naturalist William John Swainson with the black grouse as the type species.[1] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek lura meaning "lyre" with -ouros meaning "-tailed".[2]
Species
editThe genus contains two species:[3]
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black grouse | Lyrurus tetrix (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Europe (Swiss-Italian-French Alps specially) from Great Britain (but not Ireland) through Scandinavia and Estonia, eastwards through Russia and parts of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China |
Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
Caucasian grouse | Lyrurus mlokosiewiczi (Taczanowski, 1875) |
The Caucasus, specifically the Caucasus Mountains | Size: Habitat: Diet: |
LC
|
References
edit- ^ Swainson, William John; Richardson, J. (1831). Fauna Boreali-Americana, or, The Zoology of the Northern Parts of British America. Vol. Part 2. The Birds. London: J. Murray. p. 497. The title page bears the year 1831 but the volume was no published until 1832.
- ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 233. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Pheasants, partridges, francolins". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 23 August 2021.