Perdicinae | |
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Grey partridge (Perdix perdix) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Galliformes |
Family: | Phasianidae |
Subfamily: |
Perdicinae Horsfield, 1821 |
Genera | |
|
Perdicinae is a polyphyletic former subfamily of birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae, regrouping the partridges, Old World quails, and francolins. [1] Although this subfamily was considered monophyletic and separated from the pheasants, tragopans, junglefowls, and peafowls ( Phasianinae) till the early 1990s, [1] [2] molecular phylogenies have shown that these two subfamilies actually constitute only one lineage. For example, some partridges ( Perdix genus) are more closely affiliated to pheasants, whereas Old World quails and partridges from the Alectoris genus are closer to junglefowls. [3] [4] Due to this, the subfamily Perdicinae is no longer recognized by the International Ornithological Congress, with the species being split among 3 subfamilies. [5]
Perdicinae is a non-migratory Old World group. These are medium-sized birds, and are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. They are ground-nesting seed-eaters. The subfamily includes the partridges, the snowcocks, the francolins, the spurfowl and the Old World quail.
Perdicinae | |
---|---|
Grey partridge (Perdix perdix) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Galliformes |
Family: | Phasianidae |
Subfamily: |
Perdicinae Horsfield, 1821 |
Genera | |
|
Perdicinae is a polyphyletic former subfamily of birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae, regrouping the partridges, Old World quails, and francolins. [1] Although this subfamily was considered monophyletic and separated from the pheasants, tragopans, junglefowls, and peafowls ( Phasianinae) till the early 1990s, [1] [2] molecular phylogenies have shown that these two subfamilies actually constitute only one lineage. For example, some partridges ( Perdix genus) are more closely affiliated to pheasants, whereas Old World quails and partridges from the Alectoris genus are closer to junglefowls. [3] [4] Due to this, the subfamily Perdicinae is no longer recognized by the International Ornithological Congress, with the species being split among 3 subfamilies. [5]
Perdicinae is a non-migratory Old World group. These are medium-sized birds, and are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. They are ground-nesting seed-eaters. The subfamily includes the partridges, the snowcocks, the francolins, the spurfowl and the Old World quail.