The Gruiformes ( ) are an

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood ...

containing a considerable number of living and extinct

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...

, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like". Traditionally, a number of wading and terrestrial bird families that did not seem to belong to any other order were classified together as Gruiformes. These include 15 species of large cranes, about 145 species of smaller crakes and rails, as well as a variety of families comprising one to three

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

, such as the Heliornithidae, the

limpkin The limpkin (''Aramus guarauna''), also called carrao, courlan, and crying bird, is a large wading bird related to rails and cranes, and the only extant species in the family Aramidae. It is found mostly in wetlands in warm parts of the America ...

, or the

Psophiidae ''Psophia'' is a genus of birds restricted to the humid forests of the Amazon and Guiana Shield in South America. It is the only genus in the family Psophiidae. Birds in the genus are commonly known as trumpeters, due to the trumpeting or cackli ...

. Other birds have been placed in this order more out of necessity to place them ''somewhere''; this has caused the expanded Gruiformes to lack distinctive

apomorph In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel character or character state that has evolved from its ancestral form (or plesiomorphy). A synapomorphy is an apomorphy shared by two or more taxa and is therefore hypothesized to ha ...

ies. Recent studies indicate that these "odd Gruiformes" are if at all only loosely related to the cranes, rails, and relatives ("core Gruiformes"). Gallirallus philippensis Lord Howe Island 1

Gallirallus philippensis Lord Howe Island 1

Systematics

There are only two suprafamilial clades (natural groups) among the birds traditionally classified as Gruiformes. Rails (

Rallidae Rails (avian family Rallidae) are a large, Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan family (biology), family of small- to medium-sized terrestrial and/or semi-amphibious birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity in its forms, and includes ...

), flufftails (

Sarothruridae Sarothruridae is a family of small- to medium-sized ground-living birds found mostly in Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa, with the genus ''Rallicula'' being restricted to New Guinea and the Moluccas. The species in this family were once consider ...

), finfoots and sungrebe ( Heliornithidae), adzebills ( Aptornithidae), trumpeters (

), limpkin (

Aramidae Aramidae is a bird family in the order Gruiformes. The limpkin (''Aramus guarauna'') is the only living member of this family, although other species are known from the fossil record, such as '' Papulavis annae'' from the Eocene of France, '' Ara ...

), and cranes ( Gruidae) compose the suborder Grues and are termed "core-Gruiformes". These are the only true Gruiformes. The suborder Eurypygae includes the

kagu The kagu or cagou (''Rhynochetos jubatus'') is a crested, long-legged, and bluish-grey bird endemism, endemic to the dense mountain forests of New Caledonia. It is the only surviving member of the genus ''Rhynochetos'' and the family Rhynoche ...

(Rhynochetidae) and

sunbittern The sunbittern (''Eurypyga helias'') is a bittern-like bird of tropical regions of the Americas, and the sole member of the family Eurypygidae (sometimes spelled Eurypigidae) and genus ''Eurypyga''. It is found in Central and South America, an ...

(Eurypygidae). These are not even remotely related to Grues. The families of mesites or roatelos (

Mesitornithidae The mesites (Mesitornithidae) are a family (biology), family of birds that are part of a clade (Columbimorphae) that include Columbiformes and Pterocliformes. They are somewhat small-bodied, Flightless bird, flightless or near flightless birds en ...

), button-quails (

Turnicidae Buttonquail or hemipodes are members of a small family of birds, Turnicidae, which resemble, but are not closely related to, the quails of Phasianidae. They inhabit warm grasslands in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. There are 18 species in ...

), Australian plains-wanderer (

Pedionomidae The plains-wanderer (''Pedionomus torquatus'') is an atypical species of wading bird, the only representative of family Pedionomidae and genus ''Pedionomus''. It is endemic to Australia. Its historic range included much of eastern Australia, ...

), seriemas (

Cariamidae The seriemas are the sole living members of the small bird family Cariamidae (the entire family is also referred to as "seriemas"), which is also the only surviving lineage of the order Cariamiformes. Once believed to be related to Crane (bird), ...

), and bustards (

Otididae Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large, terrestrial birds living mainly in dry grassland areas and in steppe regions. They range in length from . They make up the family Otididae (, formerly known as Otidae). Bustards are ...

) each represent distinct and unrelated lineages. Many families known only from fossils have been assigned to the Gruiformes, e.g., Ergilornithidae, Phorusrhacidae, Messelornithidae, Eogruidae, Idiornithidae, Bathornithidae, to name just a few (see below). Though some of these are superficially 'crane-like' and the possibility exists that some may even be related to extant families traditionally included in the Gruiformes, there are no completely extinct families that can be confidently assigned to core-Gruiformes. The traditional order Gruiformes was established by the influential German avian comparative anatomist Max Fürbringer (1888). Over the decades, many ornithologists suggested that members of the order were in fact more closely related to other groups (reviewed by Olson 1985, Sibley and Ahlquist 1990). For example, it was thought that sunbittern might be related to herons and that seriemas might be related to cuckoos. Olson and Steadman (1981) were first to correctly disband any of the traditional Gruiformes. They recognized that the Australian plains-wanderer (family Pedionomidae) was actually a member of the shorebirds (order Charadriiformes) based on skeletal characters. This was confirmed by Sibley and Ahlquist (1990) based on

DNA–DNA hybridization In genomics, DNA–DNA hybridization is a molecular biology technique that measures the degree of genetic similarity between DNA sequences. It is used to determine the genetic distance between two organisms and has been used extensively in phylo ...

and subsequently by Paton et al. (2003), Paton and Baker (2006) and Fain and Houde (2004, 2006). Sibley and Ahlquist furthermore removed button-quails (Turnicidae) from the Gruiformes based on large DNA–DNA hybridization distances to other supposed Gruiformes. However, it was not until the work of Paton et al. (2004) and Fain and Houde (2004, 2006) that the correct placement of buttonquails within the shorebirds (order Charadriiformes) was documented on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of multiple genetic loci. Using 12S ribosomal DNA sequences, Houde et al. (1997) were the first to present molecular genetic evidence of gruiform

polyphyly A polyphyletic group is an assemblage that includes organisms with mixed evolutionary origin but does not include their most recent common ancestor. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which ar ...

, although apparently they were not convinced by it. However, on the basis of numerous additional sequence data, it has been shown decisively that the traditionally recognized Gruiformes consist of five to seven unrelated clades (Fain and Houde 2004, Ericson et al. 2006, Hackett et al. 2008). Fain and Houde (2004) proposed that Neoaves are divisible into two clades, Metaves and Coronaves, although it has been suggested from the start that Metaves may be paraphyletic (Fain and Houde 2004, Ericson ''et al.'' 2006, Hackett ''et al.'' 2008). Sunbittern, kagu, and mesites all group within Metaves but all the other lineages of "Gruiformes" group either with a collection of waterbirds or landbirds within Coronaves. This division has been upheld by the combined analysis of as many as 30 independent loci (Ericson ''et al.'' 2006, Hackett ''et al.'' 2008), but is dependent on the inclusion of one or two specific loci in the analyses. One locus, i.e.,

mitochondrial DNA Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and mDNA) is the DNA located in the mitochondrion, mitochondria organelles in a eukaryotic cell that converts chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondrial DNA is a small portion of the D ...

, contradicts the strict monophyly of Coronaves (Morgan-Richards ''et al.'' 2008), but phylogeny reconstruction based on mitochondrial DNA is complicated by the fact that few families have been studied, the sequences are heavily saturated (with back mutations) at deep levels of divergence, and they are plagued by strong base composition bias. The

and

are one another's closest relatives. It had been proposed (Cracraft 2001) that they and the recently extinct adzebills (family Aptornithidae) from New Zealand constitute a distinct

Gondwana Gondwana ( ; ) was a large landmass, sometimes referred to as a supercontinent. The remnants of Gondwana make up around two-thirds of today's continental area, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia (continent), Australia, Zea ...

n lineage. However, sunbittern and kagu are believed to have diverged from one another long after the break-up of

Gondwanaland Gondwana ( ; ) was a large landmass, sometimes referred to as a supercontinent. The remnants of Gondwana make up around two-thirds of today's continental area, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Zealandia, Arabia, and the ...

and the adzebills are in fact members of the Grues (Houde ''et al.'' 1997, Houde 2009). The

seriema The seriemas are the sole living members of the small bird family Cariamidae (the entire family is also referred to as "seriemas"), which is also the only surviving lineage of the order Cariamiformes. Once believed to be related to cranes, they ...

s and

bustard Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large, terrestrial birds living mainly in dry grassland areas and in steppe regions. They range in length from . They make up the family Otididae (, formerly known as Otidae). Bustards are ...

s represent distinct lineages within neoavian waterbirds.

Phylogeny

GruiformesPaleofile.com (net, info) . * Family † Songziidae Hou, 1990 ** Genus †'' Songzia'' Hou, 1990 * Suborder Grui ** Superfamily Gruoidea Vigors, 1825 *** Family †

Geranoididae Geranoididae is a clade of extinct birds from the early to late Eocene and possibly early Oligocene of North America and Europe. These were mid-sized, long-legged flightless birds.Gerald Mayr (2009). Paleogene Fossil Birds Recent research shows t ...

Wetmore, 1933 *** Family † Parvigruidae Mayr, 2005 **** Genus †'' Parvigrus'' Mayr, 2005 **** Genus †'' Rupelrallus'' Fischer, 1997 *** Family

Bonaparte, 1854 (limpkin) **** Genus †'' Badistornis'' Wetmore, 1940 **** Genus '' Aramus'' Vieillot, 1816 'Courlili'' Buffon, 1781; ''Notherodius">Courlili.html" ;"title="'Courlili">'Courlili'' Buffon, 1781; ''Notherodius'' Wagler, 1827] (limpkins) *** Family

Bonaparte, 1831 (trumpeters) **** Genus '' Psophia'' Linnaeus, 1758 *** Family †

Eogruidae Eogruidae (also spelled Eogruiidae in some publications) is an extinct family of large, flightless birds that inhabited Asia from the Eocene to Pliocene epochs. Related to modern ostriches, it was formerly thought to be related to cranes, limpki ...

Wetmore, 1934 **** Genus †'' Sonogrus'' Kuročkin, 1981 **** Genus †'' Eogrus'' Wetmore, 1932 'Progrus'' Bendukidze, 1971">Progrus.html" ;"title="'Progrus">'Progrus'' Bendukidze, 1971**** Subfamily †Ergilornithinae ***** Genus †''Ergilornis'' Kozlova, 1960 ***** Genus †''Amphipelargus'' Lydekker, 1891 ***** Genus †''Urmiornis'' Mecquenem, 1908 *** Family Gruidae (cranes) **** Genus †'' Camusia'' Seguí, 2002 **** Subfamily Balearicinae Brasil, 1913 ***** Genus †'' Aramornis'' Wetmore, 1926 ***** Genus †'' Geranopsis'' Lydekker, 1871 ***** Genus †'' Eobalearica'' Gureev, 1949 ***** Genus '' Balearica'' Brisson, 1760 'Geranarchus'' Gloger, 1842(crowned cranes) **** Subfamily Gruinae Vigors, 1825 ***** Genus †'' "Grus" conferta'' Miller & Sibley, 1942 lson & Rasmussen, 2001/small> ***** Genus †'' "Probalearica" mongolica'' Kurochkin, 1985 ***** Genus †'' Palaeogrus'' Portis, 1885 'Palaeogrus'' Salvadori, 1884 ''nomen nudum''***** Genus ''

Antigone ANTIGONE (Algorithms for coNTinuous / Integer Global Optimization of Nonlinear Equations), is a deterministic global optimization solver for general Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programs (MINLP). History ANTIGONE is an evolution of GloMIQO, a global ...

'' (Linnaeus, 1758) ***** Genus '' Leucogeranus'' (Pallas, 1773) ***** Genus '' Grus'' Brisson, 1760 non Moehring, 1758 [''Anthropoides'' Vieillot, 1816; ''Bugeranus'' Gloger, 1841; ''Megalornis'' Gray, 1841; ''Leucogeranus'' Bonaparte, 1855; ''Mathewsena'' Iredale, 1914; ''Mathewsia'' Iredale, 1911; ''Limnogeranus'' Sharpe, 1893; ''Laomedontia'' Reichenbach, 1852; ''Philorchemon'' Gloger, 1842; ''Scops'' Gray, 1840 non Moehring, 1758 non Bruennich, 1772 npn Savigny, 1809] (cranes) * Suborder Ralli (suborder), Ralli ** Family †Adzebill, Aptornithidae (adzebills) *** Genus †''Aptornis'' ** Family

(flufftails) *** Genus '' Mentocrex'' Peters, 1933 (wood rails) *** Genus ''

Sarothrura Flufftails (genus ''Sarothrura'') are small birds related to Rallidae, rails and Heliornithidae, finfoots. There are nine species, seven of which are distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, with the remaining two in Madagascar. The genus was long ...

'' Heine, 1890 non Hasselt, 1823 'Corethrura'' Reichenbach, 1849 non Hope, 1843 non Gray, 1846; ''Daseioura'' Penhallurick, 2003(flufftails) ** Family Heliornithidae Gray, 1841 (finfoots and sungrebe) *** Genus '' Heliopais'' Sharpe, 1893 (Asian/masked finfoots) *** Genus '' Podica'' Lesson, 1831 'Rhigelura'' Wagler, 1832; ''Podoa'' Bonaparte, 1857 non Illiger, 1811(African finfoots) *** Genus '' Heliornis'' Bonnaterre, 1791 'Podoa'' Illiger, 1811 non Bonaparte, 1857; ''Plotoides'' Brookes, 1830; ''Podia'' Swainson, 1837(sungrebe, American finfoot) ** Family

(crakes, moorhens, gallinules, and rails) *** Genus †'' Aletornis'' Marsh, 1872 'Protogrus''*** Genus †''

Australlus ''Australlus'' is an extinct genus of birds in the rail family. It was described from a series of Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene fossil material found at Riversleigh in north-western Queensland, Australia. The genus was erected following rea ...

'' Worthy & Boles, 2011 *** Genus †'' Baselrallus'' De Pietri & Mayr, 2014 *** Genus †'' Belgirallus'' Mayr & Smith, 2001 *** Genus †'' Capellirallus'' Falla, 1954 (snipe-billed rail) *** Genus †'' Creccoides'' Shufeldt, 1892 *** Genus †'' Eocrex'' Wetmore, 1931 *** Genus †'' Euryonotus'' Mercerat, 1897 *** Genus †'' Fulicaletornis'' Lambrecht, 1933 *** Genus †'' Hovacrex'' Brodkorb, 1965 (Hova gallinule) *** Genus †'' Ibidopsis'' Lydekker, 1891 *** Genus †'' Latipons'' Harrison & Walker, 1979 *** Genus †'' Miofulica'' Lambrecht, 1933 *** Genus †'' Miorallus'' Lambrecht, 1933 *** Genus †'' Nesophalaris'' Brodkorb & Dawson, 1962 *** Genus †'' Palaeoaramides'' Lambrecht, 1933 *** Genus †'' Palaeorallus'' Wetmore, 1931 *** Genus †'' Paraortygometra'' Lambrecht, 1933 *** Genus †'' Parvirallus'' Harrison & Walker, 1979 *** Genus †'' Pastushkinia'' Zelenkov, 2013 *** Genus †'' Quercyrallus'' Lambrecht, 1933 *** Genus †'' Rallicrex'' Lambrecht, 1933 *** Genus †'' Rhenanorallus'' Mayr, 2010 *** Genus †'' Vitirallus'' Worthy, 2004 (Viti Levu rails) *** Genus †'' Wanshuina'' Hou, 1994 *** Genus †'' Youngornis'' Yeh, 1981 *** Genus †Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. 'Fulica podagrica'' (partim)">Fulica_podagrica.html" ;"title="'Fulica podagrica">'Fulica podagrica'' (partim)(Barbados rail) *** Genus †Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Easter Island rail) *** Genus †Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Fernando de Noronha rail) *** Genus †Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Tahitian "goose") *** Genus †Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Bokaak "bustard") *** Genus †Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. ('Amsterdam Island' rail) *** Genus '' Rougetius'' Bonaparte, 1856 (Rouget's Rails) *** Subfamily Rallinae Rafinesque, 1815 **** Genus †'' Pleistorallus'' Worthy, 1997 (Fleming's rails) **** Genus '' Anurolimnas'' Sharpe, 1893 (Chestnut-headed Crakes) **** Genus '' Biensis'' (Madagascan Rails) **** Genus ''

Rallicula ''Rallicula'' is a genus of bird in the family Sarothruridae. It contains four species endemic to the island of New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands ...

'' Schlegel, 1871 'Corethruropsis'' Salvadori, 1876(forest-rails) **** Genus ''

Rallus ''Rallus'' is a genus of wetland birds of the Rallidae, rail family. Sometimes, the genera ''Lewinia'' and ''Gallirallus'' are included in it. Six of the species are found in the Americas, and the three species found in Eurasia, Africa and Mada ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758 ��'' Epirallus">��''Epirallus'' Miller, 1942**** Genus †''Aphanapteryx">Epirallus'' Miller, 1942">Epirallus">��''Epirallus'' Miller, 1942**** Genus †''Aphanapteryx'' von Frauenfeld, 1868 [''Pezocrex'' Hachisuka, 1953] (Mauritius/Red rails) **** Genus †''Erythromachus'' Milne-Edwards, 1873 (Rodriquez rails) **** Genus ''Dryolimnas'' Sharpe, 1893 **** Genus ''Crex'' Bechstein, 1803 'Crecopsis'' Sharpe, 1893">Crecopsis.html" ;"title="'Crecopsis">'Crecopsis'' Sharpe, 1893(greater crakes) **** Genus ''Lewinia'' Gray, 1855 [''Aramidopsis'' Sharpe, 1893; ''Donacias'' Heine & Reichenow, 1890; ''Hyporallus'' Iredale & Mathews, 1926] **** Genus ''Canirallus'' Bonaparte, 1856 (grey-throated rail) **** Genus '' Gymnocrex'' Salvadori, 1875 (bare-faced rails) **** Genus ''

Gallirallus ''Gallirallus'' is a genus of Rallidae, rails that live in the Australasian-Pacific region. The genus is characterised by an ability to colonise relatively small and isolated islands and thereafter to evolve flightless forms, many of which beca ...

'' Lafresnaye, 1841 'Tricholimnas'' Sharpe, 1893; ''Nesoclopeus">Tricholimnas.html" ;"title="'Tricholimnas">'Tricholimnas'' Sharpe, 1893; ''Nesoclopeus'' Peters, 1932; ''Cabalus'' Hutton, 1874; ''Habropteryx'' Stresemann, 1932; ''Eulabeornis'' Gould, 1844; †''Diaphorapteryx'' Forbes, 1893; ''Hypotaenidia'' Reichenbach, 1853; '' Sylvestrornis'' Mathews, 1928] *** Subfamily Gallinulinae Gray, 1840 **** Tribe Pardirallini Livezey, 1998 ramidinae(Wood-rails & allies) ***** Genus '' Pardirallus'' Bonaparte, 1856 'Ortygonax'' Heine, 1890***** Genus '' Mustelirallus'' Bonaparte, 1858 'Neocrex'' Sclater & Salvin, 1869; ''Cyanolimnas'' Barbour & Peters, 1927***** Genus '' Amaurolimnas'' Sharpe 1893 (Rufous rails; Uniform crakes) ***** Genus ''

Aramides ''Aramides'' is a genus of birds in the family Rallidae. It contains the following 8 species: There is also a doubtful species: * Red-throated wood rail, ''Aramides gutturalis'' - extinct (20th century?) References External links

* * ...

'' Pucheran, 1845 **** Tribe Gallinulini Gray, 1840 ulicarinae (Nitzsch, 1820) sensu Livezey, 1998***** Genus ''

Tribonyx ''Tribonyx'' is a small genus of birds in the Rail (bird), rail family, containing two extant species and one Holocene extinction, recently extinct species. The genus is endemism, endemic to Australia and New Zealand. They are sometimes lumpers a ...

'' Du Bus de Gisignies, 1840 'Brachyptrallus'' Lafresnaye, 1840; ''Microtribonyx'' Sharpe, 1893(native-hens) ***** Genus '' Porzana'' Vieillot, 1816 'Limnobaenus'' Sundevall, 1872; ''Phalaridion'' Kaup, 1829; ''Porzanoidea'' Mathews, 1912; ''Porzanoides'' Condon, 1975; ''Rallites'' Pucheran, 1845; ''Schoenocrex'' Roberts, 1922; ''Porphyriops'' Pucheran, 1845] ***** Genus ''Paragallinula'' Sangster, García-R & Trewick, 2015 (Lesser Moorhen) ***** Genus ''Gallinula'' Brisson, 1760 [''Hydrogallina'' Lacépède, 1799; ''Stagnicola'' Brehm, 1831; ''Porphyriornis'' Allen, 1892 ''Pareudiastes'' Hartlaub & Finsch, 1871 ''Edithornis''] ***** Genus '' coots, Fulica'' Linnaeus, 1758 ��''Palaeolimnas'' Forbes, 1893*** Subfamily Porphyrioninae Reichenbach, 1849 **** Tribe Porphyrionini Reichenbach, 1849 (Purple gallinules & swamphens) ***** Genus †'' Aphanocrex'' Wetmore, 1963 (St. Helena swamphens) ***** Genus ''

Porphyrio ''Porphyrio'' is the swamphen or swamp hen bird genus in the rail family. It includes some smaller species of gallinules which are sometimes separated as genus ''Porphyrula'' or united with the gallinules proper (or "moorhens") in '' Gallinula' ...

'' Brisson, 1760 'Notornis'' Owen, 1848**** Tribe Himantornithini Bonaparte, 1856 (Bush-hens & Waterhens) ***** Genus '' Himantornis'' Hartlaub, 1855 (Nkulenga rails) ***** Genus '' Megacrex'' D'Albertis & Salvadori, 1879 (New Guinea Flightless Rails) ***** Genus '' Aenigmatolimnas'' (Striped Crakes) ***** Genus '' Gallicrex'' Blyth, 1852 'Gallinulopha'' Bonaparte, 1854; ''Hypnodes'' Reichenbach, 1853(Watercocks) ***** Genus ''

Amaurornis ''Amaurornis'' is a genus of birds in the rail family Rallidae. The species in this genus are typically called bush-hens. A monotypic subtribe, Amaurornithina, was proposed for this genus. Taxonomy The genus ''Amaurornis'' was erected by the Ger ...

'' Reichenbach, 1853 'Erythra'' Reichenbach, 1853; ''Pisynolimnas'' Heine & Reichenow, 1890; ''Poliolimnas'' Sharpe, 1893">Poliolimnas">'Erythra'' Reichenbach, 1853; ''Pisynolimnas'' Heine & Reichenow, 1890; ''Poliolimnas'' Sharpe, 1893(Bush-hen) **** Tribe Zaporniini Des Murs, 1860 (Old world crakes) ***** Genus ''Rallina'' Gray, 1846 [''Euryzona'' Gray, 1855; ''Tomirdus'' Mathews, 1912] (chestnut-rails) ***** Genus ''

Zapornia ''Zapornia'' is a recently revalidated genus of birds in the rail family Rallidae; it was included in ''Porzana'' for much of the late 20th century.Garcia-R, Juan C.; Gibb, Gillian C. & Trewick, Steve A. (2014): Deep global evolutionary radiation ...

'' Stephens, 1824 'Limnocorax'' Peters, 1854; ''Limnobaenus''; ''Corethrura'' Grey, 1846**** Tribe Laterallini Tif, 2014 (New world crakes) ***** Genus '' Micropygia'' Bonaparte, 1856 (Ocellated Crakes) ***** Genus '' Rufirallus'' (russet-crowned crake) ***** Genus '' Laterallus'' Gray, 1855 (ruddy crakes) ***** Genus '' Coturnicops'' Gray, 1855 (barred-backed crakes) ***** Genus '' Hapalocrex'' (Yellow-breasted Crakes) ***** Genus '' Limnocrex'' ***** Genus '' Mundia'' Bourne, Ashmole & Simmons, 2003 (Ascension Island Crakes) ***** Genus '' Creciscus'' Cabanis, 1857 'Atlantisia'' Lowe, 1923(blackish crakes) ** Not placed in family *** Genus †'' Nesotrochis'' Wetmore, 1918 (West Indian cave-rails) When considered to be monophyletic, it was assumed that Gruiformes was among the more ancient of avian lineages. The divergence of "gruiforms" among "Metaves" and "Coronaves" is proposed to be the first divergence among Neoaves, far predating the

Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event The Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) extinction event, also known as the K–T extinction, was the extinction event, mass extinction of three-quarters of the plant and animal species on Earth approximately 66 million years ago. The event cau ...

c. 66 mya (Houde 2009). No unequivocal basal gruiforms are known from the fossil record. However, there are several

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

that are not unequivocally assignable to the known families and that may occupy a more basal position: * '' Propelargus'' (Late Eocene/Early Oligocene of Quercy, France) – cariamid or idornithid * '' Rupelrallus'' (Early Oligocene of Germany) – rallid? parvigruid? * '' Badistornis'' (Brule Middle Oligocene of Shannon County, Missouri) – aramid? * '' Probalearica'' (Late Oligocene? – Middle Pliocene of Florida, France?, Moldavia and Mongolia) – gruid? A ''

nomen dubium In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium,'' it may be impossible to determine whether a ...

''? * "Gruiformes" gen. et sp. indet. MNZ S42623 (Bathans Early/Middle Miocene of Otago, New Zealand) – Aptornithidae? * '' Aramornis'' (Sheep Creek Middle Miocene of Snake Creek Quarries, U.S.) – gruid? aramid? * '' Euryonotus'' (Pleistocene of Argentina) – rallid? Other even more enigmatic fossil birds and five living families are occasionally suggested to belong into this order, such as the proposed

Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the more recent of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''cre ...

family Laornithidae and the following taxa: * Family † Gastornithidae (diatrymas) (

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ...

) * Family †

Messelornithidae Messelornithidae is an extinct clade of Gruiformes, gruiform birds, closely related to modern rail (bird), rails. The fossil record are from the Paleocene to the early Oligocene of Europe and North America. References

Eocene life Messel ...

(

Messel Messel is a municipality in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg in Hesse near Frankfurt am Main in Germany. The village is first mentioned, as ''Masilla'', in the Lorsch codex. Messel was the property of the lords of Groschlag from ca. 1400 to 1799 ...

-birds) * Family † Salmilidae (

) – distinct order (

Cariamiformes Cariamiformes (or Cariamae) is an order of primarily flightless birds that has existed for over 50 million years. The group includes the family Cariamidae (seriemas) and the extinct families such as Phorusrhacidae, Bathornithidae, Idiornithid ...

) * Family †

(

) – distinct order (

); however, Mayr (2016) argued they might be members of Gruiformes, specifically

stem group In phylogenetics, the crown group or crown assemblage is a collection of species composed of the living representatives of the collection, the most recent common ancestor of the collection, and all descendants of the most recent common ancestor. ...

representatives of the Gruoidea. * Family †

Bathornithidae Bathornithidae is an extinct family of birds from the Eocene to Miocene of North America. Part of Cariamiformes, they are related to the still extant seriemas and the extinct Phorusrhacidae. They were likely similar in habits, being terrestrial ...

(

) – distinct order (

) * Family †

Idiornithidae Idiornithidae is an extinct family of Cariamiformes Cariamiformes (or Cariamae) is an order of primarily flightless birds that has existed for over 50 million years. The group includes the family Cariamidae (seriemas) and the extinct families ...

(

) – distinct order (

) * Family †

Phorusrhacidae Phorusrhacids, colloquially known as terror birds, are an extinct family of large carnivorous, mostly flightless birds that were among the largest apex predators in South America during the Cenozoic era. Their definitive fossil records range from ...

(terror birds) (

) – distinct order (

) * Family

(seriemas) – Neoavian landbirds – distinct order (

) * Family

(bustards) – Neoavian waterbirds – distinct order * Family Eurypygidae (sunbittern) – prospective "Metaves" – new order

Eurypygiformes Eurypygiformes is an order formed by the kagus, comprising two species in the family Rhynochetidae endemic to New Caledonia, and the sunbittern (''Eurypyga helias'') from the tropical regions of the Americas. Its closest relatives appear to be ...

together with kagu Frank Gill and Minturn Wright: ''Birds of the World Recommended English Names''. Princeton University Press, 2006, * Family

Rhynochetidae ''Rhynochetos'' is a genus of ground-dwelling birds in the monotypic taxon, monotypic family (biology), family Rhynochetidae. It contains two species, both endemic to New Caledonia, one of which is extinct. Taxonomy ''Rhynochetos jubatus'' is ...

(kagu) – prospective "Metaves" – new order Eurypygiformes together with sunbittern * Family

(mesites, roatelos, monias) prospective "Metaves" – distinct order * Family

(buttonquails) moved to already existing order

Charadriiformes Charadriiformes (, from '' Charadrius'', the type genus of family Charadriidae) is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 390 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most charadriiform birds live near water ...

together with plains wanderer * Family

(plains wanderer) moved to already existing order Charadriiformes together with buttonquails * '' Horezmavis'' (Bissekty Late Cretaceous of Kyzyl Kum, Uzbekistan) * '' Telmatornis'' (Navesink Late Cretaceous?) * '' Amitabha'' (Bridger middle Eocene of Forbidden City, Wyoming) – rallid? * '' Eobalearica'' (Ferghana Late? Eocene of Ferghana, Uzbekistan) – gruid? * ''"Phasianus" alfhildae'' (Washakie B Late Eocene of Haystack Butte, U.S.) * '' Talantatos'' (Late Eocene of Paris Bain, France) * '' Telecrex'' (Irdin Manha Late Eocene of Chimney Butte, China) – rallid? * Neornithes incerta sedis (Late Paleocene/Early Eocene of Ouled Abdoun Basin, Morocco) * '' Aminornis'' (Deseado Early Oligocene of Rio Deseado, Argentina) – aramid? * '' Loncornis'' (Deseado Early Oligocene of Rio Deseado, Argentina) – aramid? * '' Riacama'' (Deseado Early Oligocene of Argentina) * '' Smiliornis'' (Deseado Early Oligocene of Argentina) * '' Pseudolarus'' (Deseado Early Oligocene – Miocene of Argentina) – gruiform? * '' Gnotornis'' (Brule Late Oligocene of Shannon County, Missouri) – aramid? * '' Anisolornis'' (Santa Cruz Middle Miocene of Karaihen, Argentina) – aramid? * '' Occitaniavis'' – cariamid or idiornithid, includes ''Geranopsis elatus''

References

* * * * * * Houde, P. (2009) "Gruiformes". in ''Timetree of Life'' (S. B. Hedges and S. Kumar, eds.) Oxford Univ. Press, New York. * * * Olson, S. L. (1985) "The fossil record of birds". ''Avian biology'' (D. S. Farner and King, J. R. and K. C. Parkes, eds.) 8: 79–238, Academic Press, Orlando. * * * Sibley, Charles Gald and Ahlquist, Jon Edward (1990): ''Phylogeny and classification of birds''. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

External links

Tree of Life: Gruiformes
{{Authority control Bird orders Extant Maastrichtian first appearances Late Cretaceous taxonomic orders Paleocene taxonomic orders Eocene taxonomic orders Oligocene taxonomic orders Miocene taxonomic orders Pliocene taxonomic orders Pleistocene taxonomic orders Holocene taxonomic orders Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte

Systematics

Phylogeny

See also

References

External links