Scleroptila

Scleroptila is a genus of birds in the francolin group of the tribe Gallini of the pheasant family. Its nine species range through Sub-Saharan Africa.

Taxonomy

The genus Scleroptila was introduced in 1852 by the English zoologist Edward Blyth. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek σκληρος/sklēros meaning "stiff" with πτιλον/ptilon meaning "feather". Blyth listed two species in the genus but did not specify the type. In 1893 William Robert Ogilvie-Grant designated the type as Perdix levaillantii Valenciennes, 1825, the red-winged francolin.

The genus contains nine species are:

References

Further reading