Opisthocomidae

Opisthocomids
Temporal range: Late Eocene - Recent, 36–0 Ma[1] Possible an early origin based on molecular clock[2]
Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
(unranked): Passerea
Order: Opisthocomiformes
L'Herminier, 1837
Family: Opisthocomidae
Swainson, 1837
Genera
Synonyms
  • Foratidae Olson 1992
  • Hoazinoididae Rasmussen 1997
  • Onychopterygidae Cracraft 1971

Opisthocomidae is a family of birds, the only named family within the order Opisthocomiformes. The only living representative is the hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) which lives in the Amazon and the Orinoco delta in South America. Several fossil species have been identified, including one from Africa[3] and one from Europe.[1]

  1. ^ a b Gerald Mayr and Vanesa L. De Pietri (2014). "Earliest and first Northern Hemispheric hoatzin fossils substantiate Old World origin of a "Neotropic endemic"". Naturwissenschaften. 101 (2): 143–148. doi:10.1007/s00114-014-1144-8. PMID 24441712. S2CID 253639154.
  2. ^ Kuhl., H.; Frankl-Vilches, C.; Bakker, A.; Mayr, G.; Nikolaus, G.; Boerno, S. T.; Klages, S.; Timmermann, B.; Gahr, M. (2020). "An unbiased molecular approach using 3'UTRs resolves the avian family-level tree of life". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 38: 108–127. doi:10.1093/molbev/msaa191. PMC 7783168. PMID 32781465.
  3. ^ Mayr G., Alvarenga H., Mourer-Chauviré C. (2011). "Out of Africa: Fossils shed light on the origin of the hoatzin, an iconic Neotropic bird". Naturwissenschaften. 98 (11): 961–6. doi:10.1007/s00114-011-0849-1. PMID 21964974. S2CID 24210185.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)