Telacanthura

Telacanthura is a genus containing two species of swift in the family Apodidae that are found in Africa.

Taxonomy

The genus Telacanthura was introduced in 1918 by the Australian-born ornithologist Gregory Mathews with the type species as Chaetura ussheri Sharpe, 1870, the mottled spinetail. The genus name is from Ancient Greek τελος/telos meaning "accomplished" or "end" with ακανθα/akantha meaning "thorn".

The genus contains two species:

• Black spinetail (Telacanthura melanopygia)
• Mottled spinetail (Telacanthura ussheri)

References