Junglefowl

Junglefowl
Green Junglefowl, Gallus varius Cock on the left, hen on the right
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae Genus: Gallus Brisson, 1766
Species
Gallus gallus Gallus lafayetii Gallus sonneratii Gallus varius

Junglefowl are a group of four living species of bird in the pheasant family which occur in India, Sri Lanka and south east Asia.

These are large birds, with colourful male plumage, but are nevertheless difficult to see in the dense vegetation they inhabit.

As with many birds in the pheasant family, the colourful male plays no part in the incubation of the egg or rearing of the precocial young. These duties are performed by the drab and well-camouflaged female.

The junglefowl are seed-eaters, but insects are also taken, particularly by the young birds.

One of the species in this genus, the Red Junglefowl, is of historical importance as the likely ancestor of the domesticated chicken, although it has been suggested the Grey Junglefowl was also involved. Eriksson J, Larson G, Gunnarsson U, Bed\'hom B, Tixier-Boichard M, et al. (2008) Identification of the Yellow Skin Gene Reveals a Hybrid Origin of the Domestic Chicken. PLoS Genet January 23, 2008 [1]..

Species

• Red Junglefowl, Gallus gallus
• Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Gallus lafayetii
• Grey Junglefowl, Gallus sonneratii
• Green Junglefowl, Gallus varius

Prehistorically, the genus Gallus was found all over Eurasia; in fact it appears to have evolved in southeastern Europe. Several fossil species have been described, but their distinctness is not firmly established in all cases:

• Gallus aesculapii (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Greece) - possibly belongs into Pavo
• Gallus moldovicus (Late Pliocene of Moldavia) - sometimes misspelt moldavicus, may be synonym of Pavo bravardi
• Gallus beremendensis (Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene of E Europe)
• Gallus karabachensis (Early Pleistocene of Nagorno-Karabakh)
• Gallus tamanensis (Early Pleistocene? of Taman Peninsula)
• Gallus kudarensis (Early/Middle Pleistocene of Kudaro, South Ossetia)
• Gallus europaeus (Middle Pleistocene of Italy)
• Gallus sp. (Middle/Late Pleistocene of Trinka Cave, Moldavia)
• Gallus imereticus (Late Pleistocene of Gvardjilas-Klde, Imeretia)
• Gallus meschtscheriensis (Late Pleistocene of Soungir, Russia)
• Gallus georgicus (Late Pleistocene - Early Holocene of Georgia)
• Gallus sp. (Late Pleistocene of Krivtcha Cave, Ukraine)
• Gallus sp. (Early Holocene of Dnieper region)

References

• Madge and McGowan, Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse ISBN 0-7136-3966-0

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