Telacanthura
| Telacanthura | |
|---|---|
| |
| Mottled spinetail (Telacanthura ussheri) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Clade: | Strisores |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Apodidae |
| Tribe: | Chaeturini |
| Genus: | Mathews, 1918 |
| Type species | |
| Chaetura ussheri Sharpe, 1870
| |
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.[1][2] The genus name is from Ancient Greek τελος/telos meaning "accomplished" or "end" with ακανθα/akantha meaning "thorn".[3]
The genus contains two species:[4]
- Black spinetail (Telacanthura melanopygia)
- Mottled spinetail (Telacanthura ussheri)
References
- ^ Mathews, Gregory (1918). Birds of Australia. Vol. 7. London: Witherby. p. 264.
- ^ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1940). Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 4. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 235.
- ^ Jobling, James A. "Telacanthura". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Owlet-nightjars, treeswifts & swifts". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
