Rhyticeros
Encyclopedia
Rhyticeros is a genus
of medium to large hornbill
s (Bucerotidae family) found in forests from south-east Asia to the Solomons. They are sometimes included in the genus Aceros
. On the contrary, most species generally placed in Aceros are sometimes moved to Rhyticeros, leaving Aceros as a monotypic
genus only containing the Rufous-necked Hornbill
.
All species generally placed in Rhyticeros have relatively low, conspicuously wreathed casques, and a mainly dull whitish-horn bill. Both sexes have a mainly black plumage
, but the head and neck of the males are white or rufous. The tail is white, except in the black-tailed Sumba Hornbill. They have conspicuous inflatable skin on the throat that is blue in all except the males of the Plain-pouched and Wreathed Hornbills, where it is yellow.
An undescribed extinct hornbill
species from Lifou
in the Loyalty Islands
, living until at least some 30.000 years ago, was initially placed in Aceros. But its biogeography
places it with the species now in Rhyticeros (Steadman, 2006).
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...
of medium to large hornbill
Hornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
s (Bucerotidae family) found in forests from south-east Asia to the Solomons. They are sometimes included in the genus Aceros
Aceros
Aceros is a genus of large south-east Asian hornbills . This genus sometimes includes all species generally placed in the genus Rhyticeros. Alternatively, Aceros has been considered monotypic, only including the Rufous-necked Hornbill, in which case all of the remaining are moved to the Rhyticeros...
. On the contrary, most species generally placed in Aceros are sometimes moved to Rhyticeros, leaving Aceros as a monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus only containing the Rufous-necked Hornbill
Rufous-necked Hornbill
The Rufous-necked Hornbill is a species of hornbill found in broadleaved forests at altitudes of in Bhutan, north-eastern India, Burma, southern Yunnan, south-eastern Tibet, northern and western Thailand, northern Laos and northern Vietnam. Numbers have declined significantly due to habitat loss...
.
All species generally placed in Rhyticeros have relatively low, conspicuously wreathed casques, and a mainly dull whitish-horn bill. Both sexes have a mainly black 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...
, but the head and neck of the males are white or rufous. The tail is white, except in the black-tailed Sumba Hornbill. They have conspicuous inflatable skin on the throat that is blue in all except the males of the Plain-pouched and Wreathed Hornbills, where it is yellow.
Species
As generally recognized, the following species belong in the genus Rhyticeros:- Papuan (or Blyth's) HornbillPapuan HornbillThe Blyth's Hornbill is also known as Papuan Hornbill. Its local name in Tok Pisin is kokomo. It is a large hornbill species inhabiting the forest canopy in the Wallacea and Melanesia....
(Rhyticeros plicatus) - Narcondam HornbillNarcondam HornbillThe Narcondam Hornbill is a species of hornbill in the Bucerotidae family. It is endemic to the Indian island of Narcondam in the Andamans. Males and females have distinct plumages.-Description:...
(Rhyticeros narcondami) - Plain-pouched HornbillPlain-pouched HornbillThe Plain-pouched Hornbill is a species of hornbill in the Bucerotidae family. It is found in forests in southern Burma, adjacent parts of western Thailand and in northern Peninsular Malaysia....
(Rhyticeros subruficollis) - Wreathed HornbillWreathed HornbillThe Wreathed Hornbill , also known as the Bar-pouched Wreathed Hornbill, is a species of hornbill found in forests from far north-eastern India and Bhutan, east and south through mainland south-east Asia and the Greater Sundas, except Sulawesi. It is 75–100 cm long...
(Rhyticeros undulatus) - Sumba HornbillSumba HornbillThe Sumba Hornbill is a large bird in the Bucerotidae, or hornbill family. The scientific name commemorates British colonial administrator and zoological collector Alfred Hart Everett.-Description:...
(Rhyticeros everetti)
An undescribed extinct hornbill
Hornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
species from Lifou
Lifou
Lifou is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean.-Geography:Lifou is made up of Lifou Island, the largest and most heavily populated of the Loyalty Islands, its smaller neighbour Tiga Island, and several uninhabited islets in between these two...
in the Loyalty Islands
Loyalty Islands
The Loyalty Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific. They are part of the French territory of New Caledonia, whose mainland is away. They form the Loyalty Islands Province , one of the three provinces of New Caledonia...
, living until at least some 30.000 years ago, was initially placed in Aceros. But its biogeography
Biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species , organisms, and ecosystems in space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities vary in a highly regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, isolation and habitat area...
places it with the species now in Rhyticeros (Steadman, 2006).