Grus (genus)

Taxobox
name = Sarus Crane

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image_width = 260px
image_caption = Sarus Crane, "Grus antigone"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Gruiformes
subordo = Grui
familia = Gruidae
genus = "Grus"
genus_authority = Brisson, 1760
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = 10, see text

"Grus" is a genus of large birds in the crane family.

The species are
* Common Crane, "Grus grus"
* Sandhill Crane, "Grus canadensis"
** Lesser Sandhill Crane or Little Brown Crane, "Grus (canadensis) canadensis"
** Greater Sandhill Crane, "Grus (canadensis) pratensis"
* Whooping Crane, "Grus americana"
* Sarus Crane, "Grus antigone"
* Brolga, "Grus rubicunda"
* Siberian Crane, "Grus leucogeranus"
* White-naped Crane, "Grus vipio"
* Hooded Crane, "Grus monacha"
* Black-necked Crane, "Grus nigricollis"
* Red-crowned Crane, "Grus japonensis"

The Cuban Flightless Crane ("Grus cubensis") became extinct in the Quaternary, but probablyVerify source|date=September 2007 before human settlement of Cuba.

Fossil record

The fossil record of the genus stretches back some 12 million years or so. A considerable number of prehistoric species are known, with the oldest, "Grus miocaenicus" (Middle Miocene of Credinţa, Romania) perhaps not a crane but a junior synonym of the swimming-flamingo "Palaelodus ambiguus"; ("Grus" problematica" certainly is). The Late Pleistocene Mediterranean "Grus primigenia" was hunted by stone age humans.

* "Grus afghana" (Late Miocene of Molayan, Afghanistan) - doubtfully distinct from "G. penteleci"
*"Grus" sp. 1 (Late Miocene of Love Bone Bed, USA)
*"Grus" sp. 2 (Late Miocene of Love Bone Bed, USA)
*"Grus" cf. "antigone" (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Lee Creek Mine, USA)
*"Grus nannodes" (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene -? Edson Middle Pliocene of Sherman County, USA)
*"Grus" sp. (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Lee Creek Mine, USA)
*"Grus haydeni" (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene - Pleistocene? of WC USA) - 2 species, one may be same as "G. canadensis"
*"Grus penteleci" (Late Miocene - Early Pliocene of C and SE Europe) - formerly in "Pliogrus"
*"Grus" sp. (Late Pliocene of Puebla de Valverde, Spain)
*"Grus bogatshevi" (Late Pleistocene of Azerbaijan) - doubtfully distinct form "G. primigenia"
*"Grus latipes" (Shore Hills Late Pleistocene of Bermuda, W Atlantic) - formerly "Baeopteryx"
*Maltese Crane "Grus melitensis" (Late Pleistocene of Malta) - doubtfully distinct from "G. primigenia"
*"Grus pagei" (Late Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea)
*"Grus primigenia" (Late Pleistocene? of SW Europe)

Several other fossil gruiforms are now considered not to belong here. "Grus" prentici" is now in "Paragrus", "Grus" princeps", "Grus" excelsa" and "Grus" hordwellianus" are placed in "Palaeogrus", and "Grus" excelsa" in "Balearica". "Grus" marshi" belongs into "Aletornis"

More uncertain is the position of "Probalearica" (variously considered Late Oligocene to Middle Pliocene but probably Late Miocene) from Golboçica (Moldavia) and maybe elsewhere. It is usually regaded a "nomen dubium" but might belong into "Grus". "Grus" conferta" (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Contra Costa County, USA) is apparently too different from the modern genus to be placed herein, but its affiliations are not well resolved.

References:

* Barlow, Wacher and Disley, "Birds of The Gambia" ISBN 1-873403-32-1|
* Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, "Birds of India" ISBN 0-691-04910-6
* Sibley, David The North American Bird Guide (Pica / Christopher Helm, 2000) ISBN 1873403984|