go to the Tree of Life home page
advanced
Temporary Page
This is an archived version of a Tree of Life page. For up-to-date information, please refer to the current version of this page.

Caprimulgiformes

nightbirds

taxon links [down<--]Neoaves Interpreting the tree
close box

This tree diagram shows the relationships between several groups of organisms.

The root of the current tree connects the organisms featured in this tree to their containing group and the rest of the Tree of Life. The basal branching point in the tree represents the ancestor of the other groups in the tree. This ancestor diversified over time into several descendent subgroups, which are represented as internal nodes and terminal taxa to the right.

example of a tree diagram

You can click on the root to travel down the Tree of Life all the way to the root of all Life, and you can click on the names of descendent subgroups to travel up the Tree of Life all the way to individual species.

For more information on ToL tree formatting, please see Interpreting the Tree or Classification. To learn more about phylogenetic trees, please visit our Phylogenetic Biology pages.

close box
Containing group: Neoaves

References

Fidler, A. E., S. Kuhn, and E. Gwinner. 2004. Convergent evolution of strigiform and caprimulgiform dark-activity is supported by phylogenetic analysis using the arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (Aanat) gene. Molecular Phylogenetic and Evolution 33(3): 908-921.

Holyoak, D. 2001. Nightjars and Their Allies: The Caprimulgiformes. Oxford University Press.

Iwaniuk, A. N., P. L. Hurd, and D. R. W. Wylie. 2006. The comparative morphology of the cerebellum in caprimulgiform birds: Evolutionary and functional implications. Brain Behavior and Evolution 67(1): 53-68.

Lane, J. E., D. L. Swanson, R. M. Brigham, and A. E. McKechnie. 2004. Physiological responses to temperature by Whip-poor-wills: More evidence for the evolution of low metabolic rates in Caprimulgiformes. Condor 106(4):921-925.

Mariaux, J. and M. J. Braun. 1996. A molecular phylogenetic survey of the nightjars and allies (Caprimulgiformes) with special emphasis on the potoos (Nyctibiidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 6(2):228-244.

Martin, G. R., L. M. Rojas, Y. M. R. Figueroa, and R. McNeil. 2004. Binocular vision and nocturnal activity in oilbirds (Steatornis caripensis) and pauraques (Nyctidromus albicollis): Caprimulgiformes. Ornitologia Neotropical 15:233-242. Suppl. S.

Mayr, G. 2001. Comments on the osteology of Masillapodargus longipes MAYR 1999 and Paraprefica major MAYR 1999, caprimulgiform birds from the Middle Eocene of Messel (Hessen, Germany). Neues Jahrbuch f?r Geologie und Pal?ontologie Monatshefte 2:65-76.

Mayr, G. 2002. Osteological evidence for paraphyly of the avian order Caprimulgiformes (nightjars and allies). Journal f?r Ornithologie 143(1):82-97.

Mayr, G. 1999. Caprimulgiform birds from the Middle Eocene of Messel (Hessen, Germany). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19(3):521-532.

Rojas, L. M., Y. M. Ramirez, G. Marin, and R. McNeil. 2004. Visual capability in Caprimulgiformes. Ornitologia Neotropical 15: 251-260. Suppl. S.

Rojas, L. M., Y. M. Ramirez, R. McNeil, M. Mitchell, and G. Marin. 2004. Retinal morphology and electrophysiology of two caprimulgiformes birds: The cave-living and nocturnal oilbird (Steatornis caripensis), and the crepuscularly and nocturnally foraging common pauraque (Nyctidromus albicollis). Brain Behavior and Evolution 64(1):19-33.

Strahan, R. , ed. 1994. Cuckoos, Nightbirds and Kingfishers of Australia. The National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife. Angus and Robertson.

Title Illustrations
Scientific Name Podargidae
Comments frogmouths
Acknowledgements The copyright owner has released this image under the Attribution 2.0 Creative Commons license.
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Copyright © 2005 Allan Henderson
About This Page
Citing this page:

Tree of Life Web Project. 2005. Caprimulgiformes. nightbirds. Version 14 December 2005 (temporary). http://tolweb.org/Caprimulgiformes/56965/2005.12.14 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

close box

This page is a Tree of Life Branch Page.

Each ToL branch page provides a synopsis of the characteristics of a group of organisms representing a branch of the Tree of Life. The major distinction between a branch and a leaf of the Tree of Life is that each branch can be further subdivided into descendent branches, that is, subgroups representing distinct genetic lineages.

For a more detailed explanation of the different ToL page types, have a look at the Structure of the Tree of Life page.

close box

Caprimulgiformes

Page Content

Articles

Treehouses

Explore Other Groups

random page

top