Solomons frogmouth

The Solomons frogmouth (Rigidipenna inexpectata), also known as the cinnamon frogmouth or Solomon Islands frogmouth, is a bird in the frogmouth family. It was first described in 1901, but not recognized as highly distinct until 2007.[2] It is the only known member of the genus Rigidipenna. It is endemic to the islands of Isabel, Bougainville and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.[3]

Solomons frogmouth

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Caprimulgiformes
Family: Podargidae
Genus: Rigidipenna
Cleere et al., 2007
Species:
R. inexpectata
Binomial name
Rigidipenna inexpectata
(Hartert, 1901)
Synonyms
  • Podargus inexpectatus
  • Podargus ocellatus inexpectatus

Description

At first the bird was thought to be a subspecies of the Australian marbled frogmouth (Podargus ocellatus). In 1998, an expedition by the Florida Museum of Natural History to Santa Isabel Island managed to collect a new specimen. Upon examining it, Nigel Cleere, Andrew Kratter, David Steadman and co-workers realized that it was highly distinct, and it was moved to a newly coined genus, Rigidipenna.[2]

The Solomons frogmouth differs in several ways from other frogmouths, for instance in having only eight tail feathers instead of the more usual ten or twelve, and also in having coarser feathers. It also has barred primary feathers and tail feathers, larger speckles and more pronounced white spots. Storrs Olson, a senior zoologist at the Smithsonian Institution, has stated "that this should prove to be such a distinctive new genus... has profound biogeographical implications and represents a real breakthrough in elucidating the evolutionary history of the family."[3]

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References
  1. BirdLife International (2016). "Rigidipenna inexpectata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22734967A95097392. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22734967A95097392.en.
  2. Cleere, Kratter, Steadman, Braun, Huddleston, Filardi and Dutson. 2007. A new genus of frogmouth (Podargidae) from the Solomon Islands – results from a taxonomic review of Podargus ocellatus inexpectatus Hartert 1901. Ibis 149:271-286
  3. University of Florida News - UF scientists discover new genus of frogmouth bird in Solomon Islands Archived 2007-05-13 at the Wayback Machine
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