Antpitta

{{Short description|Family of birds}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Antpitta | image = Chestnut-naped antpitta (Grallaria nuchalis ruficeps) Las Tangaras.jpg | image_caption = Chestnut-naped antpitta (''Grallaria nuchalis ruficeps'') | taxon = Grallariidae | authority = P.L. Sclater and Salvin,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.zoonomen.net/avtax/frame.html | title=Zoonomen Avtax Frames Layout Page }}</ref> 1873 | display_parents = 2 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = *''Grallaria'' *''Cryptopezus'' *''Hylopezus'' *''Myrmothera'' *''Grallaricula'' }}

'''Grallariidae''' is a family of smallish suboscine passerine birds of subtropical and tropical Central and South America known as '''antpittas'''. They are between {{convert|10|and|20|cm|in|round=0.5|abbr=on}} long, and are related to the antbirds, Thamnophilidae, and gnateaters, Conopophagidae.

The antpittas were formerly placed in the family Formicariidae. Beginning in 2002 a series of molecular genetic studies found that Formicariidae, as then defined, was non-monophyletic.<ref name=Irestedt>{{Cite journal | last1=Irestedt | first1=M. | last2=Fjeldså | first2=J. | last3=Johansson | first3=U.S. | last4=Ericson | first4=P.G.P. | date=2002 | title=Systematic relationships and biogeography of the tracheophone suboscines (Aves: Passeriformes) | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=23 | issue=3 | pages=499–512 | doi=10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00034-9| pmid=12099801 | bibcode=2002MolPE..23..499I }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last=Chesser | first=R. Terry | date=2004 | title=Molecular systematics of New World suboscine birds | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=32 | issue=1 | pages=11–24 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2003.11.015 | doi-access= | pmid=15186793 | bibcode=2004MolPE..32...11C }}</ref><ref name=Rice2005a>{{Cite journal | last=Rice | first=Nathan H. | date=2005 | title=Phylogenetic relationships of antpitta genera (Passeriformes: Formicariidae) | journal=The Auk | volume=122 | issue=2 | pages=673–683 | doi=10.1093/auk/122.2.673 | doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=Rice2005b>{{Cite journal | last=Rice | first=Nathan H. | date=2005 | title=Further evidence for paraphyly of the Formicariidae (Passeriformes) | journal=The Condor | volume=107 | issue=4 | pages=910–915 | doi=10.1093/condor/107.4.910 | doi-access=free}}</ref> In 2008, the American Ornithologists' Union reorganised the genera to create monophyletic families and moved the antpittas to their own family Grallariidae.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Banks | first1=R.C. | last2=Chesser | first2=R.T. | last3=Cicero | first3=C. | last4=Dunn | first4=J.L. | last5=Kratter | first5=A.W. | last6=Lovette | first6=I.J. | last7=Rasmussen | first7=P.C. | last8=Remsen | first8=J.V. | last9=Rising | first9=J.D. | last10=Stotz | first10=D.F. | last11=Winker | first11=K. | date=2006 | title=Forty-Ninth Supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds | journal=The Auk | volume=125 | issue=3 | pages=758–768 | doi=10.1525/auk.2008.9708 | doi-access=free}}</ref> This family now contains 68 species in one large and four fairly small genera.<ref name=ioc/>

These are forest birds that tend to feed at or near the ground. Many are specialist ant followers. Their long, powerful legs (which lend the birds a distinctive upright posture) and an essentially vestigial tail aid this behaviour. Most are drab in appearance with shades of rusty, brown, black, and white being their dominant tones.

The antpittas are sexually monomorphic; they resemble the true pittas in that they are virtually tailless; they hop like some thrushes, and are much easier to hear than see—although their vocalizations may be rather atypical for perching birds.

They lay 1 to 6<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cornell University|date=July 31, 2020|title=Grallaria Antpittas|journal=Birds of the World |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/gralla2/cur/species#genusGrallaria}}</ref> eggs in a nest in a tree, both sexes incubating.

==Taxonomy== The following cladogram shows the phylogeny of the antipitta family. It is based on a large molecular phylogenetic study of the suboscines by Michael Harvey and collaborators that was published in 2020. The three species in the genus ''Myrmothera'' were found to be embedded in the genus ''Hylopezus''.<ref name=harvey>{{Cite journal | last1=Harvey | first1=M.G. | display-authors=etal | date=2020 | title=The evolution of a tropical biodiversity hotspot | journal=Science | volume=370 | issue=6522 | pages=1343–1348 | doi=10.1126/science.aaz6970 | pmid=33303617 | bibcode=2020Sci...370.1343H | hdl=10138/329703 | hdl-access=free }} A high resolution version of the phylogenetic tree in Figure 1 is available from the first author's website [http://www.harveybirdlab.org/docs/Harveyetal2020_Fig1_tree_HiRes.pdf here].</ref> The species are those recognised by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC).<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela Rasmussen | date=January 2023 | title=Antthrushes, antpittas, gnateaters, tapaculos, crescentchests | work=IOC World Bird List Version 13.1 | url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/antthrushes/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=5 March 2023 }}</ref> {{clade | style=font-size:100%;line-height:100% |label1='''Grallariidae''' |1={{Clade |1=''Grallaria'' – 45 species |2={{clade |1=''Cryptopezus'' – speckle-breasted antpitta |2={{clade |1=''Grallaricula'' – 10 species |2=''Hylopezus'' – 6 species and ''Myrmothera'' – 6 species }} }} }} }}

===Species=== '''Typical antpittas''' – tribe Grallariini/subfamily Grallariinae * Genus ''Grallaria'' (47 species)

'''Lesser antpittas''' – possibly tribe Myrmotherini/subfamily Myrmotherinae * Genus ''Cryptopezus'' (1 species) * Genus ''Hylopezus'' (6 species) * Genus ''Myrmothera'' (6 species) * Genus ''Grallaricula'' (10 species)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{commons category-inline|Grallariidae}}

* Category:Taxa named by Philip Sclater Category:Taxa named by Osbert Salvin