Coccycua

Coccycua
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Cuculiformes
Family:	Cuculidae
Subfamily:	Coccyzinae
Genus:	Coccycua Lesson, 1830
Species
3, see text
Synonyms
Numerous, see text

Coccycua is a small genus of birds in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. Its three species are found in the tropical Americas.

Formerly, they were divided among in Coccyza (two species) and Piaya (one species), or the former were assigned to Micrococcyx and only the latter to Coccycua. Following the discovery that they form a monophyletic lineage equidistant to both related genera, Coccycua has been revalidated.

Species

The species are:

• Little Cuckoo, Coccycua minuta
• Dwarf Cuckoo, Coccycua pumila
• Ash-colored Cuckoo, Coccycua cinerea

Synonyms

The genus name Coccycua has often been believed to be a mis-spelling, and various emendations have been proposed. However, the name as originally written is valid. The junior synonyms are:

• Coccicua Lesson, 1837 (unjustified emendation)
• Coccygua Fitzinger, 1856 (unjustified emendation)
• Coccyzaea Hartlaub, 1842 (unjustified emendation)
• Coccyzusa Cabanis & Heine, [1863] (unjustified emendation)
• Micrococcyx Ridgway, 1912