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Galliformes and other animals for South America
JOrnitho: Hello! I'm back with ideas for some new species for South America. I found in my computer an archive with some ideas for fauna and flora that I had some time ago and decided to show there to ask your opinion about them. The first is about a descendant of the domestic chicken. [more]Copper jacumitan (Jacumita cuprinus) Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae Habitat: Savannas and woodlands of Central South America. During the Holocene, the man introduced many species in other continents. The jacumitan is a descendant of domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) that are introduced in South America. It replaced the birds in the family Cracidae, which are extinct in the Neocene, in some areas. In a matter of fact, the name jacumitan is the junction of the words jacu, the popular name in Brazil for guans of the Genus Penelope, and the tupi word mitã (mitan) that means new, this way the name means “new guan”. The copper jacumitan is the type species of this genus and lives in the savannas and woodlands of Central South America. The copper jacumitan is sexually dysmorphic. The male measure 190 cm, due to the long tail, it has a bright coppery brown upperbody plumage and reddish-brown feathers below. They also have metallic dark green feathers on the tail and wings. Only males have a bright red naked skin on the face, with two wattles that conceal the sides of its head. This characteristic is shared by all males of the genus Jacumita. The males of the genus also have crests formed by white feathers with black tips. During courtship and panic moments, they rise the crests. The females have 75 cm of length and are cryptic brown and adapted to camouflage, its naked skin on the face is pale pink and don’t have flesh wattles. The young males are similar to the females until they reach 9 weeks, at this time the wattle begin to develop. Both sexes have long orange colored legs and grey beak. The males have spurs that they use in fights for dominance. The neck is long and slim. Copper jacumitans can fly, but prefer to run from the predators flying only as last resort. These birds are omnivorous and feed on insects, seeds, and fruits. Its forage for food by scratching the ground, usually near herbivores this way there is other animals observing for the presence of predators. Often the male sits on a high perch, to serve as a lookout for his group. He sounds an alarm call if predators are nearby. At night it will sleep perched on branches. Copper jacumitans are polygamous; the male will have a harem with 5 to 12 females and will guards the area where his females are nesting, and attack other males that enter his territory. To initiate courting, the males will dance in a circle around or near a female, raising their crests and lowering the wing which is closest to the hen. Then, he will vocalize and when she responds to his call, the male will mount her and proceed with the mating. The females make their nest in the ground, laying 6 to 14 red eggs which are incubated for 22 days. Chicks are precocious, leaving the nest shortly they are born. They fledge in about 4 to 5 weeks, and at 13 weeks old are chased out of the group by their mother, at which point the young males start to form a harem and the females join an existing one. Sexual maturity is reached at 6 months and the lifespan of this species is of 13 years, however is common for males to die early due to predation. Other species in the genus Jacumita are: Golden jacumitan (Jacumita aurea) Living in the forests of the Atlantic coast of South America, the males of this species has 200 cm of length, from beak to tail, while the females have 83 cm. The plumage of the male have a bright golden-yellow plumage in the upperparts, being scarlet in the chest and belly. They have dark metallic green wing feathers and tail while the female is cryptic brown. Red jacumitan (Jacumita amazonica) Living in the "terra firme" forests of the Amazon , the males of this species has 185 cm of length, from beak to tail, while females have 70 cm. The plumage of male is bright orange-red in the upperparts, while their chest and belly is yellow. The males also have dark metallic blue wing feathers and tail while the female is cryptic brown. Andean jacumitan (Jacumita andina) Living in the highland forests in the slopes of the Andes, the males of this species has 170 cm of length, from beak to tail, while females have 68 cm. The plumage of the males is white in the upperparts and yellowish-red in the belly and chest. The males also have dark metallic blue wing feathers and tail while the female is cryptic brown. This other one is about a descendant of the californian quail: Common austral grouse (Tetraoinus australis) Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae Habitat: Forests of Southern South America During the Holocene, the man introduced many exotic species different habitats, the ancestor of the austral grouse was one of these species. Their ancestor was not a true grouse, but the Californian quail, due to evolutionary convergence they acquired characteristics similar to the true grouses of North America. Living in the forests of Southern South America, the male austral grouse are 55 cm long and the female have 44 cm of length. The male have a dark grey body plumage, black-and-white bridled head pattern, black back and a greyish-blue belly. They have a curving crest or plume, made of six feathers that droops forward (long and black in males /short and brown in females) and long forked blackish tail with white undertail coverts. Females and immature birds are mainly greyish-brown with a light-brown belly. Both sexes have a black bill and relatively long grey legs. Their diet consists mainly of seeds and leaves, but they also eat some berries and insects. In some regions their main source of food are the seeds of trees of the Genus Araucaria. These birds are not elegant fliers, however they sleep perched in branches. Given a choice, they will normally escape on foot. During the courtship, the male austral grouse do displays on a lek, each male have a “personal space”. The males strut around their chose space, doing a display. The display consists of the male posturing himself with the head near the ground. Then, they start to move it from right to left showing their crests, simultaneously they raising the tail feathers, showing their withe undertail coverts. After that, they will raise their heads abruptly and whilst make a highly distinctive mating call. When another male invade the personal space of other, a fight happens, in this case the male will try to take of the crest of the rival, this way they will not be capable to display for the females. The female usually lays approximately 12 spotted eggs. The nest is a shallow scrape lined with vegetation on the ground. Incubation lasts from 21–25 days, usually performed by the female and rarely by the male. The chicks are precocial, leaving the nest with their parents within hours of hatching. The male stay with the female until the young leave, with 3 months. The young reach sexual maturity with 1 year, with this age the young males acquire the coloration of an adult male. Their lifespan is of 27 years. In the forests of Tierra del Fuego another species lives, the Black boreal grouse (Tetraoinus nigrus). Their main difference to the other species is that the males have an all-black plumage, with only a faint shade of blue in the chest and brown undertail coverts. The females are similar to that of the common austral grouse. The males have 52 cm and the females 41 cm.[/more] I also have in this archive some names for possible species that I never developed bayond some few facts. Maybe someone could help me make their descriptions.
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: Your idea about the Easter Island is already included in the plans for future! Also, the Fernando de Noronha is another chapter idea. So, you already have at least two ideas for new chapters. Cool! Are they being discussed somewhere? My other ideas for chapters are about the Atlantic forest of Rio de Janeiro, with the background being the lowland forests in the coast and the other about the cloud forests in Serra do Mar. Of course, if such elevations still exist in the Neocene.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Are they being discussed somewhere? Yeah, we have a special topic for chapter ideas: http://sivatherium.borda.ru/?1-6-0-00000291-000-0-0-1656861023 Only Russian, sorry. But a new topic can be opened here, in the English part of the forum. Usually, we collect bestiaries for new chapter ideas in a separate post with a link to it in the starter post. In our case in English part, that topic will have two ideas: Easter Island and Fernando de Noronha. I will make it.
JOrnitho: Cool! Thank you so much!
JOrnitho: I finished the description of the antbird. Nomad antbird (Gymnopithys nomadicus) The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However some species survived and in the Neocene they gave rise to new species. The Nomad antbird is one of the representatives of the Genus Gymnopithys in South America during the Neocene. This species inhabits the terra firme forests of the Amazon, with its presence being associated with that of army ants. The nomad antbird has 15 cm of length and a wingspan of 27 cm. This species have sexual dimorphism, with the male having a reddish-brown crown and back, while wings and tail are dark brown. The female is greyish-brown in the upperparts. Both sexes have white underparts and blue bare skin around the eyes. This species is a specialist ant-followers that relies on swarms of army ants to flush insects and other arthropods out of the leaf litter. Their diet is formed mostly by these arthropods, needing for them to constantly follow the army ants. Since such ants rarely stay in the same place for much time, the nomad antbird developed a nomadic behavior, constantly following the ants. The nomad antbird is found alone or in pairs. This species is monogamous, with the pair staying together for the rest of their lives. They follow the march of the ants together. While they can breed at any time of the year, these birds will reproduce during periods that the ants stay in a place for a long time. Both parents built a cup-shaped nest, where the female will lay two brownish-red eggs. The period of development of the chicks is fast, the male and female are responsible for incubating the eggs for 9 days and the chicks fledge within 12 days. Sexual maturity is reached with 4 months and they have a lifespan of 5 years.
JOrnitho: I made the description for some small felines for South America. They share name with some indigenous people of the continent. Tamoio cat (Austrofelis tamoio) During the Holocene, humans had caused several impacts on the environment. Among their actions was the introduction of exotic species. Some species were considered companions that sometimes would end becoming feral. With the disappearance of the human species, some of these animals remained and some evolved in new species during the Neocene. One of them is the Tamoio cat, a descendant of the domestic cat (Felis catus) and the type species of the genus Austrofelis. The word Tamoio is the name of the group of indigenous people that inhabited the coastal areas of Southeastern Brazil, from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro. This feline lives in the Atlantic forests of Southeastern South America, being also present in areas where the Tamoios once lived. The Tamoio cat has a body length of 78 cm and 36 cm of shoulder height. Their tail is long, with 60 to 100 cm of length. The males are larger than the females. Their fur is cinnamon brown with solid black markings. The spots on the head and limbs are small, but markings on the back, cheeks, and flanks are open bands and stripes. A few dark stripes run straight from the back of the neck up to the tip of the tail. Its neck and undersides are white, and the insides of the legs are marked with a few horizontal streaks. This feline prefers hunting in areas with vegetation cover, avoiding open areas, especially on moonlit nights, so as not to be seen by the prey. As a carnivore, it preys on small terrestrial mammals such as rodents, lagomorphs, armadillos, opossums, and also fish, crustaceans, insects, reptiles and small birds. It usually feeds on the kill immediately, but removes bird feathers before. They follow scent trails to acquire prey. The Tamoio cat is usually solitary and active mainly during twilight and at night. During the daytime, it rests on trees, in dens below large trees or other cool, sheltered sites on the ground. It is agile in climbing and leaping, and escapes predators by jumping on trees. The mating season starts during the autumn. Females enter oestrus lasting for five days. The mating season is marked by noisy fights among males for dominance. The male pursues the female in oestrus, seizes her by the nape of her neck and mounts her. Vocalisations and flehmen are prominent during courtship. After a successful copulation, the female gives out a loud cry and reacts with aversion towards her partner. The pair then separate. Gestation lasts nearly two months. Before parturition, the mother prepares a den of grass in an abandoned animal burrow or hollow tree. Litters comprise one to five kittens, typically two to three kittens. Females can raise two litters in a year. Initially blind and helpless, they open their eyes at 10 to 13 days of age and are fully weaned by around three months. Kittens begin to catch their own prey at around six months and leave the mother after eight or nine months. They reach sexual maturity with one year. The lifespan of the Tamoio cat is 14 year. Another representative of the Genus Austrofelis is the Kaingang cat (Austrofelis kaingang), whose name is the same of the indigenous people that inhabited Southern Brazil during the Holocene. This species lives in the prairies and plains of Southern South America. They have 68 cm of body length, with a tail of 41 cm. Their fur is sand-colored with faint dark spots. It is whitish on the belly, and its legs and tail bear black rings. A subspecies living in the savannas of Central South America (A. k. minor) is slightly smaller and has short fur. The Mapuche cat (Austrofelis mapuche) is the most austral representative of the genus. They share the name with the Mapuche people that inhabited the Southern regions of South America, in Argentina and Chile. This species lives in the forests of the extreme South of the continent. The Mapuche cat has 59 cm of body length, with a 38 cm long tail. Their fur is dense to resist the winter. It's light grey with pale yellowish-ochre hue with small black spots distributed on it. It has narrow black stripes on the back, consisting of five to seven dark transversal lines across the lower back. The belly, chest and throat is white. Its grey tail has seven narrow black rings and a black tip.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good cats!
JOrnitho: I made the description of a tinamou. Great inamu (Noctotinamus solitarius) The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However some species survived and in the Neocene they gave rise to new species. The genus Noctotinamus, the nocturnal tinamous, is formed by descendants of tinamids that survived the anthropogenic onslaught. All the representatives of this genus developed nocturnal habits. The type species of the genus is the great inamu, an inhabitant of the Atlantic forests of Southeastern South America. Its name comes from the name used by indigenous people of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso to the tinamids. The great inamu have 53 cm of length and a wingspan of 71 cm. It has a dark olive-green plumage with a whitish throat and belly. The flanks are barred black, and the undertail is cinnamon. Crown and neck are rufous with a black supercilium. The legs are blue-grey in color and the beak is dark grey. They have large eyes covered with tapetum lucidum that allow them to have a good sight during the night. While they are capable of flying, these birds rarely do it. They prefer to run away from the predators or to use their cryptic plumage as camouflage to hide, with the flight being a last resort. These birds eats fruit off the ground or low-lying bushes, as well as invertebrates, flower buds, tender leaves, seeds, and roots. The great inamu is a shy and solitary tinamou. They are nocturnal, spending the day perched in trees. Its high pitched vocalization is common to be heard in the forest at night, but the birds themselves are difficult to be seen. Their vocalization becomes more frequent during the nesting season, which starts during the end of the winter and ends in the end of summer. The nests are usually rudimentary scrapings in the ground, hidden in dense bushes or among buttress roots of trees. This species is polygynandrous, featuring exclusive male parental care. A female will mate with a male and lay an average of four eggs which he then incubates until hatching after 21 days. The eggs are large, shiny, and bright violet in color. He cares for the chicks for approximately 3 weeks before moving on to find another female. Meanwhile, the female has left clutches of eggs with other males. She may start nests with five or six males during each breeding season, leaving all parental care to the males. Their reach sexual maturity with 13 months and have a lifespan of 17 years. Another representative of this genus is the Amazon inamu (Noctotinamus amazonicus). This species inhabits the "terra firme" forests of the Amazon. This species has 49 cm of body length and a wingspan of 63 cm. It has a yellowish jaw and bluish-gray legs, a dark gray crown and neck, with a whitish throat. The upperparts are slate gray, with black bars. The underparts are lighter brownish-gray. This species has a longer tail compared with the great inamu, giving this species more capacity of flight. Their eggs have a bright greenish-blue shell.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good description!
JOrnitho: What could be more plausible: a giant (1,90 m of height) descendant of the maguari stork or of a heron? I was thinking that it could have the lifestyle similar to that of a azdarchid pterosaur. It would still be capable of flying.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho I think it should be a descendant of a stork. lifestyle similar to that of a azdarchid pterosaur You mean walk on four limbs? Sounds doubtful for a true bird.
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: You mean walk on four limbs? No. I mean regarding their diet. They would still fly, but would hunt small prey in more dry areas. Even visiting sea birds colonies to take chicks and eggs.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho hunt small prey in more dry areas. Even visiting sea birds colonies to take chicks and eggs Now this is good!
JOrnitho: I'm in doubt if it should be a stork or a heron. Both groups are relatively well in South America, with herons even going to poluted areas to eat trash.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Well, I still think it should be a stork. Human trash will not remain on the Earth for so long - it will be decomposed totally before neocene (25 million years).
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: Well, I still think it should be a stork. In this case, maybe the ancestor could the jabiru. This species is expanding their distribution, even reaching Southeastern Brazil.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Yes, jabiru is a great ancestor.
JOrnitho: I made the description of a genus of Thraupidae seedeaters that I mentioned in the description of the descendant of the sparrow. Common cabocolino, or white-winged seedeater (Neosporophila alboptera) The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However some species survived and in the Neocene they gave rise to new species and genera. A new genus that appeared was the Neosporophila, a direct descendant of birds of the Genus Sporophila that survived the anthropogenic onslaught. The type species of this genus is the common cabocolino, an inhabitant of open fields and marshy areas with tall grass in tropical South America, from Amazon to the plains. The word cabocolino was the common name given by the people from the Brazilian states of Pará and Ceará to some Sporophila. The common cabocolino has 10 cm of length and a wingspan of 32 cm. The males have a mostly cinnamon plumage with tail, rump and coverts black. The primaries and secondaries feathers are white. The females are olive-brown in the upperparts and yellowish-white in the lower parts, such plumage is shared by all females of the genus. Their beak is black while the legs are light gray. These birds feed mostly on seeds, and occasionally berries and insects. It often forages on herbaceous plants, and less often on the ground. The common cabocolino will sometimes participate in mixed flocks when foraging. The common cabocolino is a gregarious bird, forming small flocks when outside of the nesting season. They are monogamous, with the pair staying close to each other even when they are part of flocks. The nesting season starts at the beginning of spring and lasts until the middle of summer, with at least 2 to 3 clutches during this period. Both parents work together to build a cup-shaped nest made of grasses in a bush or a small tree. The female lays 2 to 3 eggs, which are incubated solely by her for 13 days. The male will remain nearby protecting the nest's area from intruders and bringing food for the female. The chicks are fed by both parents. They fledge with 14 days and are still fed by their parents for more two weeks. They reach sexual maturity with 10 months and have a lifespan of 9 years. Like their ancestors of the genus Sporophila, they have a great evolutive radiation with several species inhabiting different ecosystems of the continent. One of these species is the thick-billed cabocolino, or thick-billed seedeater (Neosporophila crassirhynchus). This species is endemic to the North areas of South America, from coastal areas to the Northern side of the Amazon river. They have 13 cm of length and a wingspan of 37 cm. The males have a mostly black plumage, with a chestnut-brown chest and belly. The female has the typical olive-brown plumage of the genus. Their beak is white and thick, allowing them to crush hard seeds that other seedeaters can't. Another representative of the genus is the Southern cabocolino, or Southern seedeater (Neosporophila rufoventer). This species inhabits the plains and prairies of Southern South America, migrating to the savannas in the center of the continent during the winter. They have 10 cm of length and a wingspan of 32 cm. The males have a cinnamon chest with head, rump, wings and tails with blueish-gray. The cerrado cabocolino, or savanna seedeater (Neosporophila savanna) is a species endemic to the savannas of Central South America. They have 11 cm of length with 31 cm of wingspan. The males have chestnut-brown chest and belly, while the rest of the body is black. The white-throated cabocolino, or white-throated seedeater (Neosporophila albogularis) is another species in the genus. They are endemic to the areas of transition between the Savanna and Atlantic forests of Northeastern South America. They have 10 cm of length with 30 cm of wingspan. The males have a cinnamon chest and belly, while the rest of the body is black. They also have a distinctive white throat. Another species of the genus is the collared cabocolino, or collared seedeater (Neosporophila collaris). This bird inhabits the savannas in Northeastern South America. They have 11 cm of length with a 32 cm wingspan. The male has a chestnut belly with the rest of the plumage black and a characteristic white plumage around the neck, similar to a neck. The range of this bird overlaps with the white-throated cabocolino and the cerrado cabocolino, resulting in hybridization.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Great elaborate description!
JOrnitho: I finished the description of the jabiru's descendant. Anhanveve, or diabolic stork (Deinociconia gigantea) The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However some species survived and in the Neocene they gave rise to new species and genera. The anhanveve is one of these new species, a descendant of the jabiru stork (Jabiru mycteria). The name anhanveve is formed by the combination of two words of Guarani origin: aña that means devil and veve that was used for the ability of flying. The anhanveve inhabits all the tropical and subtropical biomes of South America, being capable of living both close and away from water. The anhanveve is a large stork, with a maximum height of 180 cm and a wingspan of 230 cm. The males are 25% larger than the females. They are also heavier than them. The plumage is mostly white, with the exception of the primaries and secondary feathers that are black. The beak, which measures 35 cm, is black and broad, slightly upturned, ending in a sharp point. The males have a yellow casque on top of the beak that becomes bright during the nesting season. Their long legs are black. The head and upper neck are featherless and black, with a featherless stretchable pouch at the base. The skin of the throat and pouch is bright red. This bird eats eats fishes, molluscs, insects, other invertebrates and amphibians. However, differently from their ancestors they prefer to search for prey in dry areas. The anhanveve can be seen patrolling savannas in search of food. They are also very predatory, hunting mammals and smaller birds, even visiting colonies of seabirds and aquatic birds to pick eggs and nestlings. They will frequently scavenger, using their size to intimidade and displace smaller scavengers. The anhanveve can be seen in pairs or small flocks of five to ten individuals. They are monogamous, but the pair stays separated outside of the nesting season, which happens during the dry period. Their courtship consists of several bill-rattling displays and vocalization with their poach. They nest in large colonies, usually close to that of herons and other aquatic birds. The populations of coastal areas will nest close to the nesting areas of seabirds. The nest of sticks is built on tall trees, and enlarged at each succeeding season growing to several meters in diameter. Half a dozen nests may be built in close proximity, sometimes among nests of herons and other birds. The parents take turns incubating the clutch of two to five white eggs and are known to more territorial than usual against other anhanveve during the brooding period. The eggs are incubated for 27 days and fledge within 110 days. They stay with their parents until reaching 3 months. The sexual maturity of the species in reached with 4 years and they have a lifespan of 25 years.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good one, but this is unlikely: a maximum height of 197 cm and a wingspan of 200 cm An albatross will have a wingspan of 3 m at a body length of about 1,5 m at most. So your stork should either be shorter in height or have larger wings to support its body. If it's not flightless, of course
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