Spinebill
Spinebill is the name given to two members of the honeyeater family, both in the genus Acanthorhynchus, which is Latin for "spine bill". They are around 15 centimetres in length, and are coloured black, white and chestnut, with a long, downcurved bill. They are native to Australia, with one species in the east and one in the west. They feed on nectar as well as insects, and live mainly in forests, gardens, and other shrubbery habitats.
| Spinebill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Meliphagidae |
| Genus: | Acanthorhynchus Gould, 1837[1] |
| Species | |
|
Acanthorhynchus superciliosus | |
A 2004 molecular study has shown that the two spinebills are a sister grouping to all other honeyeaters, that is, they diverged earlier than all other species.[2]
Species and distribution
The genus contains two species.[3]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Acanthorhynchus superciliosus | Western spinebill | south-western Australia |
 | Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris | Eastern spinebill | North Queensland south through New South Wales, eastern South Australia as well as throughout Tasmania |
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References
- Gould, J. (1837). "Characteristics of New Species of Australian Birds". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 6: 24–25.
- Driskell, Amy C.; Christidis, Les (2004). "Phylogeny and evolution of the Australo-Papuan honeyeaters (Passeriformes, Meliphagidae)" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 31 (3): 943–60. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.10.017. PMID 15120392. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-01.
- Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Honeyeaters". IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
External links
- Basic information, eastern spinebill - Birds in Backyards
- Photos, eastern spinebill - Australian Birds Image Database
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