A chicken was either one from two species of large wild birds in the genus Meleagris. Turkeys was classed regarding the gamebird order. Formerly, these people were felt a distinct family relations, Meleagrididae, however, more recently these were reclassified given that a beneficial subfamily (Meleagridinae) of your own pheasants as well as their partners. Like with of a lot galliform types, the female was smaller than the male, and much reduced colorful. Using their wingspans of just one.5-step one.8 yards, the fresh new turkeys is actually definitely the largest birds in the wild forests in which it real time, consequently they are barely confused with any kind of varieties.
The modern tamed poultry was developed on Crazy Chicken. The brand new Ocellated Chicken was most likely in addition to tamed because of the Mayans. It’s been speculated this particular variety is much more tractable than simply their north equivalent, and you may are the reason of your own present tamed inventory, but there is however no morphological proof to help with which concept. Particularly, new breasts tuft regarding residential turkeys try a clear indicator of origin throughout the Crazy Poultry, given that Ocellated Turkey doesn’t always have that it tuft.
Turkeys try extensively hunted, especially the Crazy Turkey in North america. In the place of the domestic competitors, brand new turkeys try cautious and you will nimble flyers.
Naming
Whenever Europeans first encountered these types of kinds in the Americas, they improperly known all of them with the latest African Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris), known as new chicken-dick from the importation to Main European countries because of Turkey, plus the name of these nation stuck since the along with the name of your American bird. The latest misunderstandings is also reflected about scientific identity: meleagris was Greek for guinea-fowl.
The latest names for the domesticated Poultry various other dialects and seem to reflect its unique origins, seen regarding a classic Business thoughts, and you may distress throughout the where it really comes from. The numerous records so you can India found in well-known brands come back so you’re able to a variety of one or two items: first, the genuine faith the newly-found Americas was in reality an integral part of East Asia, and next, new habit of feature amazing generate to some sort of lay you to at that time symbolized far-regarding, exotic countries. Aforementioned is reflected when it comes such as ” Muscovy Duck” (which is of South america, not Muscovy) as well as is actually a primary good reason why title ”turkey-cock” is moved to Meleagris varieties.
Some other birds which are either entitled ”turkeys” are not such as for instance closely related: the fresh new Australian brush-turkey is actually a megapode, together with bird known given that ”Australian chicken” is actually this new Australian Bustard, an excellent gruiform.
Asexual reproduction
Turkeys are notable for their ability, uncommon around large kinds, to reproduce asexually. Regarding absence of a masculine, women Turkeys are known to develop rich eggs. The person put is sometimes sickly, and you may usually men. It conduct is also restrict the brand new incubation away from egg in the Turkey agriculture.
Fossil turkeys
Of many turkeys were discussed out-of fossils. The latest Meleagridinae are identified on the Early Miocene (c.23 mya) beforehand, to the extinct genera Rhegminornis (Very early Miocene out of Bell, USA) and you can Proagriocharis (Kimball Late Miocene/Very early Pliocene out of Lime Creek, USA). The previous is probably a beneficial basal chicken, the other a modern bird much less like recognized turkeys; one another was basically far reduced birds. A poultry fossil not assignable to help you genus however, exactly like Meleagris is known about Later Miocene away from Westmoreland State, Virginia (Olson, 1985).
In the current genus Meleagris, numerous species have been decribed, because the poultry fossils are powerful, fairly often receive, and you may turkes tell you far type one of someone. Most of these going traditional varieties are in fact believed junior synonyms. One, the fresh new really-recorded California Poultry Meleagris californica, turned into extinct recently sufficient to was hunted by early person settlers, even though their genuine dying is far more probably owing to climate transform at the end of the last frost ages. The modern kinds additionally the Ca Chicken appear to have diverged approximately one million years ago (Olson, 1985).
- Meleagris sp. (Very early Pliocene of Bone Area, USA)
- Meleagris https://datingmentor.org/tr/friendfinder-inceleme/ leopoldi (Late Pliocene off Cita Canyon, USA) – earlier Agriocharis
- Meleagris progenes (Rexroad Later Pliocene, Meade State, USA) – earlier Agriocharis
- Meleagris sp. (Late Pliocene of Macasphalt Cover Gap, USA)
- Meleagris anza (Very early Pleistocene regarding North park Condition, USA)
- Meleagris californica (Late Pleistocene away from SW U . s .) – earlier Parapavo/Pavo
- Meleagris crassipes (Later Pleistocene off SW United states)
