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Frogmouths (Podargidae)

Marbled Frogmouth (Podargus ocellatus) - HBW 5, p. 281

French: Podarge ocellé German: Marmorschwalm Spanish: Podargo Ocelado
Other common names: Little Papuan Frogmouth; Plumed Frogmouth (plumiferus)

Taxonomy: Podargus ocellatus Quoy and Gaimard, 1830, Manokwari, New Guinea.
Plumage coloration and rainforest habitat differ from those of congeners, and may suggest some distant affinity with Batrachostomus; although these similarities may be at least partly due to convergent evolution; race inexpectatus of Solomon Is shows strong superficial resemblance to Batrachostomus auritus, although differs in structural details and lacks white hindneck-collar. Taxonomy of southernmost race plumiferus much confused in past, partly because of dearth of available specimens, leading to over-reliance on descriptions; it has been treated as a race of .. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Podargus ocellatus Quoy and Gaimard, 1830, Manokwari, New Guinea.
Plumage coloration and rainforest habitat differ from those of congeners, and may suggest some distant affinity with Batrachostomus; although these similarities may be at least partly due to convergent evolution; race inexpectatus of Solomon Is shows strong superficial resemblance to Batrachostomus auritus, although differs in structural details and lacks white hindneck-collar. Taxonomy of southernmost race plumiferus much confused in past, partly because of dearth of available specimens, leading to over-reliance on descriptions; it has been treated as a race of P. papuensis or of P. strigoides, but recent study of specimens and vocalizations leaves little doubt that it is best regarded as a race of present species. Six subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • ocellatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1830 - New Guinea, Aru Is, W Papuan Is and islands in Geelvink Bay.
  • intermedius Hartert, 1895 - Trobriand Is and D’Entrecasteaux Is.
  • meeki Hartert, 1898 - Tagula I (Louisiade Archipelago).

     See all 6 subspecies
  • ocellatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1830 - New Guinea, Aru Is, W Papuan Is and islands in Geelvink Bay.
  • intermedius Hartert, 1895 - Trobriand Is and D’Entrecasteaux Is.
  • meeki Hartert, 1898 - Tagula I (Louisiade Archipelago).
  • inexpectatus Hartert, 1901 - N Solomon Is (Bougainville, Choiseul, Santa Isabel).
  • marmoratus Gould, 1855 - Cape York Peninsula (N Queensland).
  • plumiferus Gould, 1846 - coastal E Australia from SE Queensland to NE New South Wales.
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