12-623: Aegypiinae is one of two subfamilies of Accipitridae that are referred to as Old World vultures , the other being the Gypaetinae . They are not closely related to the Gypaetinae, and are instead a sister group to the serpent-eagles (Circaetinae). Presently found throughout much of Africa , Asia , and parts of Europe , fossil evidence indicates that as recently as the Late Pleistocene , they ranged into Australia . The subfamily Aegypiinae
24-505: A number of oceanic island groups. Some species are migratory . The family contains 256 species which are divided into 12 subfamilies and 75 genera . Many well-known birds such as hawks , eagles , kites , harriers and Old World vultures are included in this group. The osprey is usually placed in a separate family ( Pandionidae ), as is the secretary bird ( Sagittariidae ), and the New World vultures are also usually now regarded as
36-457: A polyphyletic grouping are not inherited from a common ancestor, but evolved independently. Monophyletic groups are typically characterised by shared derived characteristics ( synapomorphies ), which distinguish organisms in the clade from other organisms. An equivalent term is holophyly . The word "mono-phyly" means "one-tribe" in Greek. These definitions have taken some time to be accepted. When
48-453: A separate family or order. Karyotype data indicate the accipitrids analysed are indeed a distinct monophyletic group. In the past the accipitrids have been variously divided into some five to ten subfamilies . Most share a very similar morphology , but many of these groups contain taxa that are more aberrant. These were placed in their respective position more for lack of better evidence than anything else. The phylogenetic layout of
60-441: Is one of the four families within the order Accipitriformes , and is a family of small to large birds of prey with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals , with a number feeding on carrion and a few feeding on fruit. The Accipitridae have a cosmopolitan distribution , being found on all the world's continents (except Antarctica ) and
72-2452: The Accipiridae shown below is based on a densely sampled molecular phylogenetic study of the Accipitridae by Therese Catanach and collaborators that was published in 2024. The number of species in each genus is based on the list maintained by Frank Gill , Pamela C. Rasmussen and David Donsker on behalf of the International Ornithological Committee (IOC). Gampsonyx – pearl kite Chelictinia – scissor-tailed kite Elanus – kites (4 species) Polyboroides – harrier-hawks (2 species) Gypohierax – palm-nut vulture Neophron – Egyptian vulture Gypaetus – bearded vulture Eutriorchis – Madagascar serpent eagle (placement uncertain) Chondrohierax – kites (2 species) Leptodon – kites (2 species) Aviceda – bazas and cuckoo-hawks (5 species) Pernis – honey buzzards (4 species) Elanoides – swallow-tailed kite Hamirostra – black-breasted buzzard Lophoictinia – square-tailed kite Henicopernis – honey buzzards (2 species) Spilornis – serpent eagles (6 species) Pithecophaga – Philippine eagle Terathopius – Bateleur Circaetus – snake eagles (6 species) + Dryotriorchis spectabilis Congo serpent eagle Necrosyrtes – hooded vulture Gyps – vultures (8 species) Sarcogyps – red-headed vulture Trigonoceps – white-headed vulture Torgos – lappet-faced vulture Aegypius – cinereous vulture Stephanoaetus – crowned eagle (placement uncertain) Nisaetus – hawk-eagles (10 species) Spizaetus – hawk-eagle (4 species) Lophotriorchis – rufous-bellied eagle Polemaetus – martial eagle Lophaetus – long-crested eagle Ictinaetus – black eagle Clanga – spotted eagles (3 species) Hieraaetus – eagles (5 species) Aquila – eagles (11 species) Harpyopsis – Papuan eagle Macheiramphus – bat hawk Morphnus – crested eagle Harpia – harpy eagle Lophospiza – goshawks (2 species, formerly in Accipiter ) Micronisus – gabar goshawk Urotriorchis – long-tailed hawk Melierax – chanting goshawks (3 species) Monophyletic In biological cladistics for
84-525: The accipitrids was historically a matter of dispute. Molecular studies have removed the phylogenetic uncertainty for most of the species. The accipitrids are recognizable by a peculiar rearrangement of their chromosomes . Apart from this, morphology and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data give a confusing picture of these birds' inter-relationships. The hawks , kites , eagles and Old World vultures as presently assigned in all likelihood do not form monophyletic groups. The genus level cladogram of
96-404: The cladistics school of thought became mainstream in the 1960s, several alternative definitions were in use. Indeed, taxonomists sometimes used terms without defining them, leading to confusion in the early literature, a confusion which persists. The first diagram shows a phylogenetic tree with two monophyletic groups. The several groups and subgroups are particularly situated as branches of
108-689: The classification of organisms , monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of taxa which meets these criteria: Monophyly is contrasted with paraphyly and polyphyly as shown in the second diagram. A paraphyletic grouping meets 1. but not 2., thus consisting of the descendants of a common ancestor, excepting one or more monophyletic subgroups. A polyphyletic grouping meets neither criterion, and instead serves to characterize convergent relationships of biological features rather than genetic relationships – for example, night-active primates, fruit trees, or aquatic insects. As such, these characteristic features of
120-413: The fact that a monophyletic group includes organisms (e.g., genera, species) consisting of all the descendants of a unique common ancestor. Conversely, the term polyphyly , or polyphyletic , builds on the ancient Greek prefix πολύς ( polús ), meaning "many, a lot of", and refers to the fact that a polyphyletic group includes organisms arising from multiple ancestral sources. By comparison,
132-493: The tree to indicate ordered lineal relationships between all the organisms shown. Further, any group may (or may not) be considered a taxon by modern systematics , depending upon the selection of its members in relation to their common ancestor(s); see second and third diagrams. The term monophyly , or monophyletic , derives from the two Ancient Greek words μόνος ( mónos ), meaning "alone, only, unique", and φῦλον ( phûlon ), meaning "genus, species", and refers to
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#1732858297919144-780: Was introduced (as the family Aegypiidae) in 1924 by the British zoologist William Lutley Sclater with Aegypius Savigny , 1809, as the type genus . The cladogram of the Aegypiinae shown below is based on a molecular phylogenetic study of the Accipitridae by Therese Catanach and collaborators that was published in 2024. Necrosyrtes – hooded vulture Gyps – vultures (8 species) Sarcogyps – red-headed vulture Trigonoceps – white-headed vulture Torgos – lappet-faced vulture Aegypius – cinereous vulture † = extinct Accipitridae The Accipitridae ( / ˌ æ k s ɪ ˈ p ɪ t r ɪ d iː , - d eɪ / )
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