Alagoas Curassow
Encyclopedia
The Alagoas Curassow, Mitu mitu, is a large, mainly glossy black pheasant
-like bird. It was formerly found in forests in north-eastern Brazil
, but it is now extinct in the wild
. A captive population exists. Due to confusion over its true taxonomic status, it has formerly included the superficially similar and far more common Razor-billed Curassow
as a subspecies
.
, black glossed purplish blue plumage
, chestnut crissum, reddish brown iris
and fourteen tail feathers that are tipped pale brown. It has a unique bare greyish crescent-shaped ear patch not found in other curassow
s. The female is slightly lighter than the male. Its diet consists mainly of fruits and nuts.
naturalist Georg Marcgraf in his work Historia Naturalis Brasiliae which was published in 1648. Because of lack of information and specimens, it was considered the same species as the far more common Razor-billed Curassow
, until after its rediscovery in 1951 in the Alagoas
lowland forests, Brazil
. Following the review of Pereira & Baker (2004), they are today believed to be a fairly basal
lineage of its genus and closer to the Crestless Curassow
, the other Mitu
species with brown eumelanin in the tail tip. Its lineage is distinct since the Miocene
-Pliocene
boundary (little more than 5 million years ago), when it became isolated in the refugium in the Atlantic Forest (Pereira & Baker 2004).
due to deforestation
and hunting. The last wild Alagoas Curassow was seen and killed in 1984, or possibly 1987 or 1988. The captive population has been extensively hybridized with the Razor-billed Curassow
,
and there are a few dozen purebred birds left. These are being maintained and bred in two privately-owned professional aviaries in Brazil mainly due to lack of official interest owing to the long-standing doubt about the taxon
's validity. They can reach an age of more than 24 years in captivity.
The Alagoas Curassow is protected under Brazilian law and is listed on Appendix I of CITES.
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
-like bird. It was formerly found in forests in north-eastern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, but it is now extinct in the wild
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct in the Wild is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa, the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.-Examples:...
. A captive population exists. Due to confusion over its true taxonomic status, it has formerly included the superficially similar and far more common Razor-billed Curassow
Razor-billed Curassow
The Razor-billed Curassow is a species of bird in the Cracidae family. It is found throughout a large part of the Amazon Rainforest, though largely restricted to regions south of the Amazon River. Unlike other members of the genus Mitu, its crissum is deep chestnut and the tail-tip is white...
as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
.
Description
The Alagoas Curassow has a total length of approximately 89 centimetres (35 in). It has a whitish-tipped red billBeak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
, black glossed purplish blue plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
, chestnut crissum, reddish brown iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
and fourteen tail feathers that are tipped pale brown. It has a unique bare greyish crescent-shaped ear patch not found in other curassow
Curassow
Curassows are one of the three major groups of cracid birds. Three of the four genera are restricted to tropical South America; a single species of Crax ranges north to Mexico...
s. The female is slightly lighter than the male. Its diet consists mainly of fruits and nuts.
Taxonomy
The Alagoas Curassow was first mentioned by GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
naturalist Georg Marcgraf in his work Historia Naturalis Brasiliae which was published in 1648. Because of lack of information and specimens, it was considered the same species as the far more common Razor-billed Curassow
Razor-billed Curassow
The Razor-billed Curassow is a species of bird in the Cracidae family. It is found throughout a large part of the Amazon Rainforest, though largely restricted to regions south of the Amazon River. Unlike other members of the genus Mitu, its crissum is deep chestnut and the tail-tip is white...
, until after its rediscovery in 1951 in the Alagoas
Alagoas
Alagoas is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco ; Sergipe ; Bahia ; and the Atlantic Ocean . It occupies an area of 27,767 km², being slightly larger than Haiti...
lowland forests, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Following the review of Pereira & Baker (2004), they are today believed to be a fairly basal
Basal (phylogenetics)
In phylogenetics, a basal clade is the earliest clade to branch in a larger clade; it appears at the base of a cladogram.A basal group forms an outgroup to the rest of the clade, such as in the following example:...
lineage of its genus and closer to the Crestless Curassow
Crestless Curassow
The Crestless Curassow is a species of bird in the Cracidae family.It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, and Venezuela.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, the other Mitu
Mitu (bird)
Mitu is a genus of curassows, large birds in the family Cracidae. They are found in humid tropical forests in South America. Their plumage is iridescent black with a white or rufous crissum and tail-tip, and their legs and bills are red...
species with brown eumelanin in the tail tip. Its lineage is distinct since the Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
-Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
boundary (little more than 5 million years ago), when it became isolated in the refugium in the Atlantic Forest (Pereira & Baker 2004).
Status
The Alagoas Curassow became extinct in the wildExtinct in the Wild
Extinct in the Wild is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa, the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.-Examples:...
due to deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
and hunting. The last wild Alagoas Curassow was seen and killed in 1984, or possibly 1987 or 1988. The captive population has been extensively hybridized with the Razor-billed Curassow
Razor-billed Curassow
The Razor-billed Curassow is a species of bird in the Cracidae family. It is found throughout a large part of the Amazon Rainforest, though largely restricted to regions south of the Amazon River. Unlike other members of the genus Mitu, its crissum is deep chestnut and the tail-tip is white...
,
and there are a few dozen purebred birds left. These are being maintained and bred in two privately-owned professional aviaries in Brazil mainly due to lack of official interest owing to the long-standing doubt about the taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
's validity. They can reach an age of more than 24 years in captivity.
The Alagoas Curassow is protected under Brazilian law and is listed on Appendix I of CITES.