Xenicus

Xenicus
A South Island wren.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Acanthisittidae
Genus:	Xenicus G.R. Gray, 1855
Type species
Motacilla longipes Gmelin, 1789
Synonyms
Pachyplichas (Millener, 1988)

Xenicus is a genus of birds in the family Acanthisittidae. It contains New Zealand wrens.

Species

• New Zealand rock wren, Xenicus gilviventris
• Bushwren, †Xenicus longipes (extinct)
• South Island stout-legged wren, †Xenicus yaldwyni (extinct) – South Island, New Zealand
• North Island stout-legged wren, †Xenicus jagmi (extinct) – North Island, New Zealand

Lyall's wren was classified as Xenicus lyalli but is quite divergent, so it is placed in its own genus, Traversia.

Taxonomy

The stout-legged wrens formed a species pair. They had reduced wings and robust legs indicating that they were adapted to a terrestrial existence and were either flightless or nearly so. Genetic evidence has indicated that the former genus Pachyplichas is nested within Xenicus, and stout-legged wrens must have evolved from a gracile-legged ancestor. A cladogram is given below.

	Acanthisittidae Traversia Kuiornis Acanthisitta Xenicus longipes Xenicus gilviventris Pachyplichas

References

• Catalogue of the genera and subgenera of birds contained in the British museum. p. 31
• North Island Rifleman (Titipounamu)(above two birds) / South Island Bush Wren (Matuhi) (left centre) / Rock Wren (centre right) / Stephens Island Wren Archived 2012-10-17 at the Wayback Machine by George Edward Lodge. Collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa