Chachalaca
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 Chaco Chachalaca, Ortalis canicollis
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12, see text. |
Chachalacas are one of the groups of cracid birds. They all belong into the genus Ortalis. They were formerly united with the similar-looking guans into a subfamily, but are probably closer to the curassows (though not much: Pereira et al. 2002).
Species are:
- Plain Chachalaca, Ortalis vetula
- Utila Chachalaca, Ortalis vetula deschauenseei - possibly extinct (late 20th century)
- Grey-headed Chachalaca, Ortalis cinereiceps
- Chestnut-winged Chachalaca, Ortalis garrula
- Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Ortalis ruficauda
- Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Ortalis erythroptera
- Rufous-bellied Chachalaca, Ortalis wagleri
- West Mexican Chachalaca, Ortalis poliocephala
- Chaco Chachalaca, Ortalis canicollis
- White-bellied Chachalaca, Ortalis leucogastra
- Speckled Chachalaca, Ortalis guttata
- Little Chachalaca, Ortalis motmot
- Buff-browed Chachalaca, Ortalis superciliaris
The cracids have a very poor fossil record, essentially being limited to a few chachalacas. The prehistoric species of the present genus, however, indicate that chachalacas most likely evolved in North or northern Central America:
- Ortalis tantala (Early Miocene of Nebraska, USA)
- Ortalis pollicaris (Flint Hill Middle Miocene of South Dakota, USA)
- Ortalis phengites (Snake Creek Early Pliocene of Sioux County, USA)
The Early Miocene fossil Boreortalis from Florida is also a chachalaca; it may actually be referrable to the extant genus.
mt and nDNA sequence data tentatively suggests that the chachalacas emerged as a distinct lineage during the Oligocene, somewhere around 40-20 mya, possibly being the first lineage of modern cracids to evolve; this does agree with the known fossil record - including indeterminate, cracid-like birds - which very cautiously favors a north-to-south expansion of the family (Pereira et al. 2002).
[edit] References
- Pereira, Sérgio Luiz; Baker, Allan J.& Wajntal, Anita (2002): Combined nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences resolve generic relationships within the Cracidae (Galliformes, Aves). Systematic Biology 51(6): 946-958. DOI:10.1080/10635150290102519 PDF fulltext
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