Somali ostrich

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Somali ostrich
Male
Female
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[2][note 1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Infraclass: Palaeognathae
Order: Struthioniformes
Family: Struthionidae
Genus: Struthio
Species:
S. molybdophanes
Binomial name
Struthio molybdophanes
Yellow area shows range of Struthio molybdophanes
Synonyms[3]
  • Struthio camelus molybdophanes Reichenow, 1883

The Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes), also known as the blue-necked ostrich, is a large flightless bird native to the Horn of Africa.[4] It is one of two living species of ostriches, the other being the common ostrich. It was also previously considered a subspecies of the common ostrich, but was identified as a distinct species in 2014.[1]

Taxonomy and systematics

Struthio molybdophanes was

Somali- and western Galla-Land on the east coast of Africa from 10 degrees north to the Equator.[5][6] Molecular evidence indicates that the East African Rift has served as a geographic barrier to isolate the taxon from the nominate subspecies, the North African ostrich S. c. camelus, while ecological and behavioural differences have kept it genetically distinct from the neighbouring Masai ostrich S. c. massaicus.[7] An examination of the mitochondrial DNA of Struthio taxa, including the extinct Arabian ostrich S. c. syriacus, has found that the Somali ostrich is phylogenetically the most distinct, appearing to have diverged from their common ancestor some 3.6 to 4.1 million years ago.[7][8]

Description

Though generally similar to other ostriches, the skin of the neck and thighs of the Somali ostrich is blue (rather than pinkish), becoming bright blue on the male during the mating season. The neck lacks a typical broad white ring, and the tail feathers are white. The males are larger than the females.[9][10] The Somali ostrich is similar in size to other ostriches so far as is known, perhaps averaging marginally smaller in body mass than some subspecies of common ostrich (at least the nominate race, S. c. camelus). Reportedly Somali ostriches in captivity weigh about 105 kg (231 lb) but this may not be an accurate weight for wild birds as captive animals have feeding accesses not available to wild ostriches.[11] It is thus one of the two largest extant bird species.

Distribution and habitat

The Somali ostrich is mostly found in the Horn of Africa, especially in north-eastern Ethiopia, southern Djibouti, most of Kenya, and across most of Somalia.[9]

Behaviour and ecology

The Somali ostrich is differentiated

browsing, whereas the common ostrich is mainly a grazer on open savanna. There are also reports of interbreeding difficulties between the two taxa.[7]

Status and conservation

A report to the

farmed
for meat, feathers and eggs.

Notes

  1. ^ Only populations of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan. No other populations are included in the CITES Appendices.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Struthio molybdophanes.
Wikispecies has information related to Struthio molybdophanes.
  1. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22732795A95049558.en
    . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ^ "Somali Ostrich". Avibase.
  4. ISBN 978-0-691-17289-7
    . Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  5. Sonntags-Beilage zur Norddeutschen allgemeinen Zeitung
    (in German). No. 37. p. 148 [end of p. 14 in viewer].
  6. ^ Reichenow, Anton (October 1883). "Immer Neues aus Afrika". Mittheilungen des Ornithologischen Vereines in Wien (in German). 7 (10): 202.
  7. ^
    JSTOR 4088425
    .
  8. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1795.1999.tb00062.x
    .
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-92-5-104300-4
    .
  10. ISBN 0-313-33545-1
    .
  11. ^ Davids, A. H. (2011). Estimation of genetic distances and heterosis in three ostrich (Struthio camelus) breeds for the improvement of productivity (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch: University of Stellenbosch).
  12. ^ Amir, Osman G. (2006). Wildlife trade in Somalia (PDF). World Conservation Union – Species Survival Commission. p. 12.
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