Hoatzin

Even if the hoatzin is not one of them, cuckoos are quite interesting. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

The idea that the hoatzin is not close to seriemas or turacos, but is in fact a member of a hitherto-overlooked metavian clade at the base of Neoaves is an exciting one, mostly because it would make this bird strongly convergent on the coronavian turacos. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

Unfortunately the phylogenetic affinities of the hoatzin have been one of the most contested issues within avian systematics (there is an entire review article devoted to this subject: Sibley & Ahlquist 1973). ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

Phylogenetic relationships of the enigmatic hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) resolved using mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

More taxa, more characters: the hoatzin problem is still unresolved. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

See the next post (Goodbye my giant predatory, cursorial, flightless hoatzin). ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

Darren Naish: Tetrapod Zoology: Goodbye, my giant predatory, cursorial, flightless hoatzin ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

Most usually considered close to either gamebirds or cuckoos (in fact, when first described in 1776 the hoatzin was classified as a species of Phasianus), hoatzins have also been allied over the years with turacos, rails, hornbills, sandgrouse and pigeons. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

Based – it has to be said – on just a handful of detailed morphological characters, combined with some inference based on biogeography and superficial similarity, the South American landbird group theory suggests the following: that there might be a hoatzin-cariamaen clade, probably persisting as relicts in South America but more widespread during the early Cenozoic. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

The seriema-hoatzin clade was closely allied with a cuckoo-turaco clade. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

What do other studies have to say about the affinities of the hoatzin? ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

Sibley & Ahlquist (1973) concluded that the hoatzin was not just closely related to cuckoos, but actually deeply nested within Cuculidae. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

I remembered a post from Carel's blog where he describes making a poor hatchling hoatzin jump into the water, but after checking it again I see he did not take photos of the unfortunate creature climbing back. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

Worth noting is that, while there are two fossil hoatzins, neither of them preserve enough information to tell us anything useful about hoatzin affinities, or about the way of life of the fossil forms. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)

* Like ‘fossa’ and ‘sifaka’, ‘hoatzin’ is one of those words that is, apparently, not pronounced the way in which it is written. ❋ Darren Naish (2006)