Hemixos
Encyclopedia
Hemixos is a songbird
genus
in the bulbul
family
, Pycnonotidae. Established by Edward Blyth
in 1845 for the newly-discovered Ashy Bulbul
(H. flavala), this small genus even today contains just two species
:
Some treatments merge the genus into Hypsipetes
, often together with the rest of the traditional "Hypsipetes group" of bulbul
s: Iole
, Ixos
, Microscelis and Tricholestes. But in this case, the closely related genera Alophoixus
and Setornis would probably also have to be included, and as soon as the earliest described genus, Ixos, is merged with another its name would apply.
In fact, Hemixos is not particularly close to Hypsipetes, and a merger is not well justified. mtDNA NADH dehydrogenase
subunit
s 2 and 3 and nDNA β-fibrinogen intron
7 sequence
data puts it closer to (but still well distant from) the Streaked Bulbul
(Ixos malaccensis). But whether that species represents the core group of Ixos – around its type species
I. virescens (Sunda Bulbul or Green-winged Bulbul) –, or a distinct lineage worthy of separation in a new genus – in which case Hypsipetes might be merged into the core group of Ixos – has not been studied. In any case, though minor, the Hemixos lineage with its stark white throat and light wing patches seems well distinct.
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
in the bulbul
Bulbul
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, Pycnonotidae. Established by Edward Blyth
Edward Blyth
Edward Blyth was an English zoologist and pharmacist. He was one of the founders of zoology in India....
in 1845 for the newly-discovered Ashy Bulbul
Ashy Bulbul
The Ashy Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam...
(H. flavala), this small genus even today contains just two species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
:
- Chestnut BulbulChestnut BulbulThe Chestnut Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Hemixos castanonotus - Ashy BulbulAshy BulbulThe Ashy Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam...
, Hemixos flavala
Some treatments merge the genus into Hypsipetes
Hypsipetes
Hypsipetes is a genus of bulbuls, songbirds in the family Pycnonotidae. Most of its species birds occur in tropical forests around the Indian Ocean. But while the genus is quite diverse in the Madagascar region at the western end of its range it does not reach the African mainland.Most Hypsipetes...
, often together with the rest of the traditional "Hypsipetes group" of bulbul
Bulbul
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands...
s: Iole
Iole (genus)
Iole is a genus of bulbuls, songbirds in the family Pycnonotidae. They are native to tropical eastern Asia, from India to China and south through Southeast Asia to northern Indonesia.It includes the following species:* Olive Bulbul, Iole virescens...
, Ixos
Ixos
Ixos is a songbird genus in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It provisionally contains the following species:* Yellowish Bulbul, Ixos everetti* Streaked Bulbul, Ixos malaccensis...
, Microscelis and Tricholestes. But in this case, the closely related genera Alophoixus
Alophoixus
Alophoixus is a genus of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. All the species occur in southeast Asia.It contains the following species:* Finsch's Bulbul * White-throated Bulbul...
and Setornis would probably also have to be included, and as soon as the earliest described genus, Ixos, is merged with another its name would apply.
In fact, Hemixos is not particularly close to Hypsipetes, and a merger is not well justified. mtDNA NADH dehydrogenase
NADH dehydrogenase
NADH dehydrogenase is an enzyme located in the inner mitochondrial membrane that catalyzes the transfer of electrons from NADH to coenzyme Q...
subunit
Protein subunit
In structural biology, a protein subunit or subunit protein is a single protein molecule that assembles with other protein molecules to form a protein complex: a multimeric or oligomeric protein. Many naturally occurring proteins and enzymes are multimeric...
s 2 and 3 and nDNA β-fibrinogen intron
Intron
An intron is any nucleotide sequence within a gene that is removed by RNA splicing to generate the final mature RNA product of a gene. The term intron refers to both the DNA sequence within a gene, and the corresponding sequence in RNA transcripts. Sequences that are joined together in the final...
7 sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
data puts it closer to (but still well distant from) the Streaked Bulbul
Streaked Bulbul
The Streaked Bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family . Depending on whether it is or isn't a particularly close relative of the type species of the genus Ixos, the Sunda Bulbul or Green-winged Bulbul , it might belong in a new genus.What is presently known is that some Ixos species are...
(Ixos malaccensis). But whether that species represents the core group of Ixos – around its type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
I. virescens (Sunda Bulbul or Green-winged Bulbul) –, or a distinct lineage worthy of separation in a new genus – in which case Hypsipetes might be merged into the core group of Ixos – has not been studied. In any case, though minor, the Hemixos lineage with its stark white throat and light wing patches seems well distinct.