Questions and Answers
What is the Kingdom of Birds?
What is the Phylum of Birds?
Chordata
What is the Subphylum of Birds?
Vertebrata
What is the Class of Birds?
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Two subclasses of Aves are __________ and __________.
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Three superorders of Neornithes are __________, __________, and __________.
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Describe the feature 'ancient jaw' of superorder Palaeognathae.
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Describe the term 'new jaw' of superorder Neognathae.
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What superorder of subclass Neornithes is extinct?
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What are the characteristics of Palaeognathae?
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Name the two clades under superorder Neognathae.
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Under superorder Palaeognathae, the 5 orders include __________, __________, __________, __________, and __________.
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Under Neognathae clade Galloanseres, the 2 orders are __________ and __________.
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What are the three supra-ordinal clades under clade Neoaves?
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What order has only 1 species because they still are not sure where it fits?
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The two big subgroups in Passeriformes are __________ and __________.
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What is the difference in the two subgroups in Passeriformes?
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Which Subfamily of the Suboscines, Suborder Tyranni occurs in North America?
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What famous fossil was in subclass Archaeornithes?
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How many bird families are there?
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How many bird species are there?
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Study Notes
Classification of Birds
- Kingdom: Animalia, encompassing all animal life.
- Phylum: Chordata, indicating animals with a notochord (spinal structure).
- Subphylum: Vertebrata, referring to animals with a backbone.
- Class: Aves, representing the class of birds.
Subclasses and Superorders
- Subclasses of Aves:
- Archaeornithes ("Old Birds"): Extinct group.
- Neornithes ("New Birds"): The surviving lineage of birds.
Superorders of Neornithes
- Odontognathae ("Toothed Jaw"): An extinct superorder.
- Palaeognathae ("Ancient Jaw"): Characterized by a primitive palate; mostly flightless, with all but tinamous incapable of flight.
- Neognathae ("New Jaw"): Comprises modern birds with a flexible palate.
Key Features of Superorders
-
Palaeognathae:
- Consists of cursorial landbirds.
- Distinctive palate morphology and reproductive behaviors.
- Includes five orders with a total of 60 species.
-
Neognathae:
- Divided into clades:
- Galloanseres (Fowl): Comprises Galliformes (pheasants and allies) and Anseriformes (ducks and screamers).
- Neoaves (New Birds): Contains three supra-ordinal clades.
- Basal unresolved (9 groups).
- Aequornithes: Core waterbirds.
- Telluraves: Core landbirds.
- Divided into clades:
Noteworthy Bird Orders and Families
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Palaeognathae includes:
- Struthioniformes (Ostriches)
- Rheiformes (Rheas)
- Casuariiformes (Cassowaries & Emus)
- Apterygiformes (Kiwis)
- Tinamiformes (Tinamous)
-
Unique Order:
- Opisthocomiformes (Hoatzin): Only one species, currently indeterminate in classification.
Passeriformes Subgroups
- Two major subgroups:
- Suboscines (Suborder Tyranni): Simple syrinx structure, less complex song production through external muscles.
- Oscines (Suborder Passeres): Complex syrinx with internal muscle control, includes relatives like crows and thrushes.
Additional Facts
- North American Subfamily of Suboscines: Tyrannidae.
- Notable Fossil: Archaeopteryx, significant to the study of bird evolution.
- Total bird families: Over 250.
- Number of bird species: Approximately 10,315 to 10,725, plus 158 extinct species, exceeding a total estimate of 10,000 species.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the classification of birds with these flashcards. Learn about the different levels of organization within the animal kingdom, including kingdom, phylum, subphylum, class, and subclasses of Aves. This quiz is perfect for biology students and bird enthusiasts alike.
