Evolution Study #2: Junglefowl

Junglefowl are the four living species of bird from the genus Gallus in the Gallinaceous bird order, which occur in India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia and Indonesia.

These are large birds, with colourful male plumage, but are nevertheless difficult to see in the dense vegetation they inhabit.

As with many birds in the pheasant family, the male takes no part in the incubation of the egg or rearing of the precocial young. These duties are performed by the drab and well-camouflaged female.

The junglefowl are seed-eaters, but insects are also taken, particularly by the young birds.

One of the species in this genus, the Red Junglefowl, is of historical importance as the likely ancestor of the domesticated chicken, although it has been suggested the Grey Junglefowl was also involved.

The Sri Lanka Junglefowl is the National Bird of Sri Lanka.

Species

• Red Junglefowl, Gallus gallus
• Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Gallus lafayetii
• Grey Junglefowl, Gallus sonneratii
• Green Junglefowl, Gallus varius

Prehistorically, the genus Gallus was found all over Eurasia; in fact it appears to have evolved in southeastern Europe. Several fossil species have been described, but their distinctness is not firmly established in all cases:

• Gallus aesculapii (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Greece) - possibly belongs into Pavo
• Gallus moldovicus (Late Pliocene of Moldavia) - sometimes misspelt moldavicus, may be synonym of Pavo bravardi
• Gallus beremendensis (Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene of E Europe)
• Giant Junglefowl Gallus karabachensis (Early Pleistocene of Nagorno-Karabakh)
• Gallus tamanensis (Early Pleistocene? of Taman Peninsula)
• Gallus kudarensis (Early/Middle Pleistocene of Kudaro, South Ossetia)
• Gallus europaeus (Middle Pleistocene of Italy)
• Gallus sp. (Middle/Late Pleistocene of Trinka Cave, Moldavia)
• Gallus imereticus (Late Pleistocene of Gvardjilas-Klde, Imeretia)
• Gallus meschtscheriensis (Late Pleistocene of Soungir, Russia)
• Gallus georgicus (Late Pleistocene - Early Holocene of Georgia)
• Gallus sp. (Late Pleistocene of Krivtcha Cave, Ukraine)
• Gallus sp. (Early Holocene of Dnieper region)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junglefowl