Chestnut-backed buttonquail

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Chestnut-backed buttonquail

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Turnicidae
Genus: Turnix
Species:
T. castanotus
Binomial name
Turnix castanotus
(Gould, 1840)
Distribution of the chestnut-backed buttonquail
Synonyms[2]

Hemipodius castanotus Gould

The chestnut-backed buttonquail (Turnix castanotus) is a species of

Turnicidae. It is endemic to Australia
.

Taxonomy

Turnix in 1870.[4] William Robert Ogilvie-Grant corrected the name to Turnix castanonota in 1889.[5] Three subspecies were described by Gregory Mathews,[2] but all are now considered as invalid and merely individual variants.[6]

Etymology

"Chestnut-backed buttonquail" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC).[7] The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek words kastanon "chestnut" and noton "back".[8] Gould called it "chestnut-backed hemipode" in 1848, noting the colonists called it "thick-billed quail". The buttonquail species were generally known as "quail" (hence "chestnut-backed quail" ) until the RAOU promoted the current usage of "buttonquail" in 1978, which was then universally adopted.[8]

Distribution and habitat

Native to northern Australia, the species ranges from the

Melville Island and Groote Eylandt. It was common around Borroloola and McArthur River, but not currently. Its existence in Queensland was only confirmed in 2020.[9]

Its natural habitats are low grasslands and Eucalyptus forests and woodland, favouring quartzite-sandstone ridges, plateaus and escarpments, mostly (but not always) in areas that receive over 800 mm (31 in) summer rainfall.[6]

Behaviour

The usual sex roles are reversed in the buttonquail genus (

incubate the eggs.[10] The female lays a clutch of 1–5 (usually 4) pyriform eggs, which are glossy-white with sparse small dark blotches.[11]

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680560A92866466.en
    . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Australian Biological Resources Study (1 May 2014). "Species Turnix (Austroturnix) castanotus (Gould, 1840)". Australian Faunal Directory. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australian Government. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  3. ^ Gould, John (1840). ". Letter to Chairman of the Scientific Committee, Zoological Society of London, read before meeting of the Society of Oct. 8, 1839". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 7: 139–145.
  4. ^ Gray, G.R. (1870). Hand-list of genera and species of birds, distinguishing those contained in the British Museum. London: British Museum. p. 270.
  5. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1889.tb06396.x
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 9781408135655
    .
  7. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2021). "Buttonquail, thick-knees, sheathbills, plovers, oystercatchers, stilts, painted-snipes, jacanas, Plains-wanderer, seedsnipes". World Bird List Version 12.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-1-486-31164-4
    .
  9. S2CID 238874838
    .
  10. ISBN 0-7270-0009-8
    .
  11. S2CID 246895590
    .
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