The outer primary feathers make a buzzing sound when asities fly. This buzzing likely has a function in courtship. Males also enlarge their wattles to display to females and other males. All species also seem to have some form of courtship display (see Mating Systems).
For the most part, asities have quiet, squeaky calls. Some males have louder whistle calls. Velvet asities (Philepitta castanea) have a repeated “whee-doo” call, or a series of “wheet” notes. Common sunbird-asities (Neodrepanis coruscans) make a series of hisses and single, quiet, squeaky calls. Yellow-bellied sunbird-asities (Neodrepanis hypoxantha) sound like tree frogs with repeated single note calls.
Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Asities are vulnerable to human activity because they live in forests that are being cleared for agriculture, mining and timber. Their already small ranges are becoming increasingly fragmented. Yellow-bellied sunbird-asities (Neodrepanis hypoxantha) are listed as endangered by the IUCN and Schlegel’s asities (Philepitta schlegeli) are listed as near threatened.
Asities belong to the order Passeriformes and the family Philepittidae. There are currently 2 recognized genera and 4 species of asities. The four species are: velvet asity (Philepitta castanea), Schlegel’s asity (Philepitta schlegeli), common sunbird-asity (Neodrepanis coruscans) and yellow-bellied sunbird-asity (Neodrepanis hypoxantha). All four species are endemic to Madagascar and are found primarily in rainforests. They are small to medium sized birds (9 to 16.5 cm long) with short tails. Males are brightly colored and have blue or green wattles around their eyes. The sunbird-asities have long downcurved bills that are well suited for extracting nectar from flowers. Asities also eat fruit, berries and insects. Little is known about the breeding behavior of asities. However, they are thought to be polygynous.
There are no known adverse affects of asities on humans.
Asities help pollinate commercially important species such as Greuillea, Albizia and Eucalyptus. They are also important in ecotourism and are sought out by birders.
Positive Impacts: ecotourism ; pollinates crops
Asities have an impact on forest regeneration. They are important in both seed dispersal and pollination.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds; pollinates
Members of the genus Philepitta are primarily frugivores. They eat fruit from the families Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Piperaceae, Melastomataceae and Apocynaceae. They usually perch and pick fruit or quickly pick it while hovering in front of the plant. They also eat insects, spiders and nectar. Members of the genus Neodrepanis are primarily nectivores, although they do eat fruit. They feed on mistletoes (especially in the genus Bakerella), Balsaminaceae, Zingiberaceae, Melastomataceae and Rubiaceae. They also eat insects and other invertebrates.
The tongues of all four species are forked with a brush-like tip. This helps them to extract nectar from flowers. Common sunbird-asities (Neodrepanis coruscans) and yellow-bellied sunbird-asities (Neodrepanis hypoxantha) also have tubular shaped tongues that further aid in nectar feeding.
Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore ); herbivore (Frugivore , Nectarivore ); omnivore
Asities are endemic to and found only in Madagascar.
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )
Other Geographic Terms: island endemic
Asities are found in habitats where flowering parasitic and epiphytic plants are in high abundance. They prefer rainforest habitat but can also be found in dry deciduous forest and humid valleys. Asities are found from lowlands to high altitudes (up to 2650 m).
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest
We do not have information on lifespan/longevity for this family at this time.
Asities are small to medium sized birds. They are 9 to 16.5 cm long and weigh 6.2 to 38 g. There is marked sexual dimorphism in all four species; males are brighter and larger. Males have blue and/or green wattles around their eyes that are highly visible during breeding and are virtually absent at other times. Members of the genus Neodrepanis also have a bright patch of skin at the base of their beaks. They also have a small, short tail, short legs, and a long decurved bill. Their tubular tongue helps them to extract nectar from flowers. They molt twice a year, the first molt, after breeding, gives the males their eclipse plumage.
Members of the genus Philepitta are round birds with a short tail and short wings. They have yellow, black and iridescent blue feathers. Their beaks are much smaller than species in Neodrepanis and they lack the tubular tongue. They molt once a year; on males, the new feathers have a yellowish fringe that wears away over time, leaving the males all black by breeding season. Females are generally much duller in color (olive colored with some yellow or streaking on the breast) and the wattle, if present, is much less pronounced. Some males have delayed plumage maturation and may resemble females even though they are sexually mature.
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; sexes colored or patterned differently; male more colorful; ornamentation
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
We do not have information on predation for this family at this time.
Little is known about the breeding behaviors of asities. They are thought to be polygynous, but the mating system may change according to the availability of food. Male asities enlarge their wattles when they display to females and their outer primary feathers produce a buzzing sound when they fly. Velvet asities (Philepitta castanea) seem to form dispersed leks where males hold territories on which they perform mating displays. Their displays have a series of steps and involve performing a perch-somersault where the male flips around a branch. Schlegel’s asities (Philepitta schlegeli) drop their wings, fluff their breast feathers and lift up their tails while squeaking. Common sunbird-asities (Neodrepanis coruscans) and yellow-bellied sunbird-asities (Neodrepanis hypoxantha) perform a hunched display where they lower their bill and tail, raise their crown feathers and sing. Yellow-bellied sunbird-asities (Neodrepanis hypoxantha) also perform a somersault display, although this is thought to be a display to deter other males, not to attract females.
Mating System: polygynous
The timing of breeding varies from region to region. However, it usually starts with the wet season and coincides with the time of maximum food availability. Females are responsible for nest building. Nests are pear shaped, hanging and are usually made of bamboo, roots, grass, moss, strips of bark, leaves and spider webs. The entrance to the nest is created at the end of nest-building by poking a hole in the side of the structure. The hole is often sheltered by overhanging grass. Nests are usually two to five meters above the ground. Clutch size is not known, but is suspected to be two to three. There is no information available about incubation and fledging times.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous
Females are responsible for incubating eggs and raising young. Young are mainly fed insects.
Parental Investment: female parental care
Die Lappenpittas (Philepittidae) oder Jalas sind eine Familie in der Ordnung der Sperlingsvögel (Passeriformes), die auf Madagaskars vorkommt.[1] Der madagassische Name lautet Asity. Er ist teilweise auch in den angelsächsischen und französischen Sprachgebrauch eingegangen.
Lappenpittas sind kleine Vögel mit einem gedrungenen, rundovalen Körper, einem in Relation zum Rumpf relativ großen Kopf und kurzem, dickem Hals. Der Schwanz ist kurz, die Flügel sind abgerundet. Der Schnabel der zwei Arten der Gattung Neodrepanis ist relativ lang und deutlich gebogen, der Schnabel der Philepitta-Arten ist nur leicht gebogen. Das Gefieder von drei Arten ist auf dem Rücken grünlich oder bläulich und am Bauch gelblich. Eine Art ist fast vollständig schwarz. Die Männchen besitzen am Kopf auffällig gefärbte, unbefiedert Hautlappen.[1]
Drei der vier Arten kommen in den feuchttropischen Wäldern des östlichen Madagaskars vor, eine lebt in den Trockenwäldern des Westens von Madagaskar. Philepitta-Arten fressen vor allem Früchte, daneben wird auch Nektar verzehrt. Neodrepanis-Arten ernähren sich vor allem von Nektar. Beide Gattungen erbeuten auch Insekten und andere kleine Wirbellose; die Jungvögel werden wahrscheinlich vor allem mit Früchten gefüttert. Ansonsten ist über die Fortpflanzungsbiologie der Familie mit Ausnahme der des Seidenjalas, kaum etwas bekannt. Freilandbeobachtungen deuten darauf hin das sich bei der Gattung Neodrepanis beide Eltern am Nestbau und der Fütterung der Jungvögel beteiligen.[1]
Es gibt vier Arten, die zwei Gattungen zugeordnet werden.
Die Lappenpittas (Philepittidae) oder Jalas sind eine Familie in der Ordnung der Sperlingsvögel (Passeriformes), die auf Madagaskars vorkommt. Der madagassische Name lautet Asity. Er ist teilweise auch in den angelsächsischen und französischen Sprachgebrauch eingegangen.
The asities are a family of birds, Philepittidae, that are endemic to Madagascar. The asities consist of four species in two genera. The Neodrepanis species are known as sunbird-asities and were formerly known as false sunbirds.[1]
Philepitta is now the type-genus of a new bird family, the Philepittidae, into which the asities of Madagascar have been placed.[2]
Asities are small forest birds with sexually dichromic plumage and brightly coloured wattles around the eyes of the males. These wattles, which are most conspicuous during the breeding season, get their colour from arrays of collagen fibres.[3] This method of pigmentation is unique in the animal kingdom. Several other features separate them from the broadbills, they possess twelve tail feathers on extremely short (almost non-existent in the Philepitta species) tails, their syrinx is encased with a large bronchial ring and they have forked tongues adapted to nectivory.[4] They have a long outer primary which buzzes in flight, possibly used in signalling during courtship. The two genera are quite distinct.
The major component of the diet of asities is fruit. A wide range of different fruit is taken by the family, and they are among the most important avian dispersers of seeds, as there are very few other frugivorous birds in the forests of Madagascar. They will also take insects. The Neodrepanis sunbird-asities will take nectar, but do so with a long tongue rather than inserting their curved bills far into flowers.
Rainforest asities breed during the Malagasy rainy season, beginning just before the rains in September to November.[4] The velvet asity begins breeding slightly sooner in the north of its range. That species is the only one for which detailed information about breeding is available. It has a polygynous breeding system, with males holding small territories or leks where they display to passing females.[4] Nest building and raising the young is incubation solely by the females. There are reports of yellow-bellied sunbird-asities feeding young in the nest and recently fledged chicks, so there is clearly some variation in breeding strategies in the family. The nests of the family are elaborate; pear-shaped woven structures hanging from branches, similar to those of broadbills, although uniquely amongst birds which weave nests the entrance to the nest is pushed created by pushing through the wall after constructed (instead of the usual scenario where the entrance is weaved into the fabric of the nest).[4]
One species, the yellow-bellied sunbird-asity, is listed as vulnerable by BirdLife International and the IUCN.[5] It was once considered to be an endangered species, and even possibly extinct; however this was due to a lack of ornithological surveys in its high-altitude range. Subsequent research has found it to be more abundant than previously suspected, although it is still considered threatened due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Schlegel's asity is considered near threatened; it has a highly fragmented distribution but numerous strongholds in inaccessible ravines.[6]
They were thought to have been related to the pittas, hence the scientific name of the family, but a 1993 study suggested that they are actually just a subfamily of Eurylaimidae.[7] The morphology of the syrinx is very similar to the Grauer's broadbill of Africa. Here they are considered traditionally as a separate family. Some authors have placed the sapayoa of South America in the family, although it is now considered by many to be in its own family, the Sapayoidae.
The asities are a family of birds, Philepittidae, that are endemic to Madagascar. The asities consist of four species in two genera. The Neodrepanis species are known as sunbird-asities and were formerly known as false sunbirds.
Philepitta is now the type-genus of a new bird family, the Philepittidae, into which the asities of Madagascar have been placed.
Las filepitas (Philepittidae) son un clado de cuatro especies de aves paseriformes, insectívoras, nectarívoras y frugívoras de pequeño tamaño y endémicas de Madagascar. Estudios morfológicos situaron a este linaje dentro de las aves clamadoras (Tyranni),[1] siendo más tarde situadas como el grupo hermano de Eurylaimidae.[2][3]
De pequeño tamaño (de 9 a 16,5 cm) y cola corta, sólo se les encuentra en las selvas lluviosas y en los valles húmedos de las selvas secas caducifolias de Madagascar. Los machos presentan un plumaje con colores brillantes. Dos especies tienen el pico largo y recurvado.
Las filepitas (Philepittidae) son un clado de cuatro especies de aves paseriformes, insectívoras, nectarívoras y frugívoras de pequeño tamaño y endémicas de Madagascar. Estudios morfológicos situaron a este linaje dentro de las aves clamadoras (Tyranni), siendo más tarde situadas como el grupo hermano de Eurylaimidae.
La famille des Philepittidae appartient à l'ordre des Passeriformes dans la classification de Sibley. D'après la classification de référence (version 2.2) du Congrès ornithologique international, cette famille n'existe pas et ses espèces sont désormais placées dans la famille des Eurylaimidae.
Elle comprend les 4 espèces de philépittes, petits oiseaux forestiers (de 9 à 16,5 cm), à queue courte, largement frugivores et nectarivores. Les mâles sont brillamment colorés ; deux des espèces ont le bec long et recourbé. Les philépittes sont endémiques de Madagascar, où elles vivent dans les forêts pluviales, aussi bien de plaine que de haute altitude, ainsi que dans les vallées humides de la forêt caducifoliée sèche.
N.B. : l'ordre de cette liste n'est pas aléatoire, il correspond à des liens de parenté entre les différentes espèces (phylogénie). Elle a été établie à partir des listes d'Alan P. Peterson et de la Commission internationale des noms français des oiseaux (Cinfo).
La famille des Philepittidae appartient à l'ordre des Passeriformes dans la classification de Sibley. D'après la classification de référence (version 2.2) du Congrès ornithologique international, cette famille n'existe pas et ses espèces sont désormais placées dans la famille des Eurylaimidae.
I Filepittini (Philepittinae) sono una sottofamiglia di uccelli passeriformi della famiglia Eurylaimidae[1].
Alla sottofamiglia vengono ascritti i seguenti generi[1]:
Sottofamiglia Philepittinae
In base a criteri puramente morfologici, il genere Neodrepanis veniva inizialmente ascritto alla famiglia Nectariniidae: successivi studi filogenetici hanno messo in evidenza la totale estraneità dei neodrepanidi con questi uccelli, mostrandone invece le affinità con il genere Philepitta, con il quale sono stati inquadrati in una famiglia a sé stante, quella dei Philepittidae, ritenuta vicina alle Pitte[2]: nonostante alcuni autori continuino a riconoscere la validità di questa classificazione[3], nel 2012 ambedue i generi sono stati accorpati dall'IOC alla famiglia Eurylaimidae, nell'ambito della quale vanno a formare una sottofamiglia a sé stante, vicina a eurilaimini e pseudocaliptomenini[1]. Alcuni autori hanno ascritto alla sottofamiglia anche Sapayoa aenigma, che tuttavia non appare particolarmente vicina a questi uccelli[4].
I filepittini sono uccelli di piccole dimensioni (in particolare le "false nettarinie" del genere Neodrepanis non superano i 10 cm, mentre le filepitte misurano circa il doppio), dal piumaggio di colori sgargianti e con evidente dimorfismo sessuale, soprattutto durante il periodo degli amori quando i maschi mostrano caruncole perioculari ben evidenti e dalla colorazione accesa, dovuta a un arrangiamento unico nel regno animale di fibre collagene[5].
Altri caratteri che accomunano fra loro le specie ascritte alla sottofamiglia sono la struttura del siringe (con cerchio bronchiale molto evidente, similmente a quanto osservabile nell'africana Pseudocalyptomena graueri), la presenza di 12 penne caudali piuttosto poco sviluppate, remiganti primarie allungate che rendono il volo ronzante e lingue muscolose e forcute[6].
Quella dei filepittini è una sottofamiglia endemica del Madagascar centro-settentrionale e orientale, dove le varie specie abitano la foresta pluviale e le aree montane.
Si tratta di uccelli diurni, che vivono perlopiù da soli e si dimostrano piuttosto territoriali verso i conspecifici, soprattutto durante il periodo degli amori. Quest'ultimo cade durante la stagione delle piogge e vede i maschi occupati in esibizioni del piumaggio per accaparrarsi più femmine possibili con le quali accoppiarsi: sono poi le sole femmine a occuparsi della costruzione del nido (voluminoso, pendente e piriforme come tipicamente osservabile negli eurilaimidi, ma che nei filepittini vede la femmina realizzare la camera di cova solamente spingendo contro le pareti del nido già ultimato, piuttosto che costruirla assieme ad esso) e della cura di uova e nidiacei.
I Filepittini (Philepittinae) sono una sottofamiglia di uccelli passeriformi della famiglia Eurylaimidae.
Asitier (Philepittidae) er en familie av spurvefugler med to slekter og totalt 4 arter som kun finnes på Madagaskar. De to slektene er ganske ulike; Neodrepanis med sine lange, tynne nebb ligner på solfugler og har vært kalt solfuglasitier, Philepitta ligner på pittaer med sine svært korte haler og ganske robuste kropp. [1]
Asitier finnes kun på Madagaskar og lever i skog der hovedføden er frukter, men insekter inngår også i kosten. De solfugl-liknende asitiene (Neodrepanis) spiser også nektar.
Philepitta-artene er ca 15 cm lange, hannene er svarte med noen farga flekker og hunnene er grønnlige. Neodrepanis-artene er noe mindre, ca 10 cm, hannen er blåfarga på oversida og gul under, mens hunnen er grønn og gul.
Asitiene har ulike parringsforhold, selv om begge slektene er kjønnsdimorfe, mener man at Philepitta-artene har spillatferd (i alle fall hos fløyelsasiti P. castanea[2]) og kun hunnen bedriver ruging og oppaling av unger. Hos Neodrepanis-artene derimot, deltar begge kjønn i ruging og foring av unger.[3] Reiret hos asitiene ligner det hos brednebbene, dvs. pæreforma og hengende fra kvister.[1]
Asitier (Philepittidae) er en familie av spurvefugler med to slekter og totalt 4 arter som kun finnes på Madagaskar. De to slektene er ganske ulike; Neodrepanis med sine lange, tynne nebb ligner på solfugler og har vært kalt solfuglasitier, Philepitta ligner på pittaer med sine svært korte haler og ganske robuste kropp.
Asitier finnes kun på Madagaskar og lever i skog der hovedføden er frukter, men insekter inngår også i kosten. De solfugl-liknende asitiene (Neodrepanis) spiser også nektar.
Philepitta-artene er ca 15 cm lange, hannene er svarte med noen farga flekker og hunnene er grønnlige. Neodrepanis-artene er noe mindre, ca 10 cm, hannen er blåfarga på oversida og gul under, mens hunnen er grønn og gul.
Asitiene har ulike parringsforhold, selv om begge slektene er kjønnsdimorfe, mener man at Philepitta-artene har spillatferd (i alle fall hos fløyelsasiti P. castanea) og kun hunnen bedriver ruging og oppaling av unger. Hos Neodrepanis-artene derimot, deltar begge kjønn i ruging og foring av unger. Reiret hos asitiene ligner det hos brednebbene, dvs. pæreforma og hengende fra kvister.
Os philepittídeos — família Philepittidea — são pequenos pássaros restritos às florestas de Madagascar.[1] Apresentam bico encurvado e dimorfismo sexual através de plumagem dicrômica, na qual os machos exibem uma barbela iridescente azul ou verde ao redor dos olhos[2]; estas barbelas são especialmente conspícuas na estação reprodutiva e sua coloração é resultante de uma matriz de fibras de colágeno; este método de pigmentação é único no reino animal. [3]
Philepittidae conjuntamente com as famílias Pittidae e Eurylaimidae formam um clado monofilético de pássaros subóscines endêmicos do Velho Mundo. Atualmente eles estão amplamente distribuídos na região tropical da África, de Madagascar, da Ásia e na região australo-papuana. Embora sejam bem menos diversos do que os subóscines do Novo Mundo, ainda sim incluem um grupo ecologicamente amplo de pássaros terrícolas e arborícolas, insetívoros, frugívoros e nectarívoros. [4][5]
Conquanto Philepittidae esteja no momento alocada na subordem Tyranni, certas características anatômicas sugerem que ela pode estar mais próxima às famílias da subordem Eurylaimi.[1]
Os philepittídeos — família Philepittidea — são pequenos pássaros restritos às florestas de Madagascar. Apresentam bico encurvado e dimorfismo sexual através de plumagem dicrômica, na qual os machos exibem uma barbela iridescente azul ou verde ao redor dos olhos; estas barbelas são especialmente conspícuas na estação reprodutiva e sua coloração é resultante de uma matriz de fibras de colágeno; este método de pigmentação é único no reino animal.
눈매팔색조과(Philepittidae)는 참새목에 속하는 조류 과의 하나이다.[1] 눈매팔색조류(asities)와 태양새사촌류(false sunbird)의 4종을 포함하고 있다. 마다가스카르 섬의 고유종이다.
다음은 2019년 올리버로스(Oliveros) 등의 연구에 의한 산적딱새아목 계통 분류이다.[2]
산적딱새아목 넓적부리새하목
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