Sasia

Sasia is a genus of birds in the family Picidae, that are native to the Old World. They are very small, virtually tailless woodpeckers, with a crombec or nuthatch-like appearance and foraging habits. Their habitat is forest and secondary growth.[1]

For the marine mollusc genus, see Sassia.

Sasia
Sasia abnormis by Gould & Richter
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Subfamily: Picumninae
Genus: Sasia
Hodgson, 1837
Species

3, see text

range of genus

All three species have a flesh orbital ring and a rounded (in cross-section) upper mandible.[2] The African species has only eight rectrices but four toes in a zygodactyl arrangement (a weak first digit), while the two Asian species have ten rectrices and only three toes (absent first digit, or hallux).[2] In addition the African species differs from the Asian species in plumage colour of the adult, but not at all in plumage pattern, body anatomy or in habits.[3]

Their relationship with genus Picumnus has not been established, and the Picumninae may be either monophyletic[4] or paraphyletic.[5]

Species

It contains the following species:

  • Sasia ochracea
    by Gould & Richter
  • Close-up of the head
    and tail of S. abnormis

References
  1. Stevenson, Terry; Fanshawe, John (2001). Field guide to the birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi. London: T. & A.D. Poyser. pp. 280–281. ISBN 9780856610790.
  2. Gorman, Gerard (2014). Woodpeckers of the World: The Complete Guide (Helm Photographic Guides). London: Bloomsbury. p. 88. ISBN 1408147157.
  3. Delacour, J. (January 1951). "The significance of the number of toes in some woodpeckers and kingfishers" (PDF). The Auk (American Ornithological Society). 68 (1): 49–51. doi:10.2307/4080797. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  4. Benz et al., 2006; Dufort, 2015; Webb and Moore, 2005
  5. Winkler et al., 2014


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