Ramphastos

Taxobox
name = "Ramphastos"

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Piciformes
familia = Ramphastidae
genus = "Ramphastos"
genus_authority = Linnaeus, 1758
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

"Ramphastos" is a genus of toucans, tropical and subtropical near passerine birds from Central and South America, which are brightly marked and have enormous, often colourful, bills.

This genus comprises the largest toucans. All the species are basically fruit-eating, but will take insects and other small prey. They are arboreal and nest in tree holes laying 2–4 white eggs. They are resident breeders and do not migrate.

The ischnoceran louse "Austrophilopterus cancellosus" is suspected to parasitize all species of "Ramphastos" toucans. Its presence has been confirmed on all species except the Citron-throated Toucan.(Price & Weckstein 2005)

pecies list

* Keel-billed Toucan, "Ramphastos sulfuratus"
* Choco Toucan, "Ramphastos brevis"
* Channel-billed Toucan, "Ramphastos vitellinus"
** Citron-throated Toucan, "Ramphastos (vitellinus) citreolaemus".
** Ariel Toucan, "Ramphastos (vitellinus) ariel"
** Yellow-ridged Toucan, "Ramphastos (vitellinus/ariel) culminatus"
* Red-breasted Toucan, "Ramphastos dicolorus"
* Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, "Ramphastos swainsonii"
* Black-mandibled Toucan, "Ramphastos ambiguus"
* White-throated Toucan, "Ramphastos tucanus"
** Red-billed Toucan, "Ramphastos (tucanus) tucanus"
** Cuvier's Toucan, "Ramphastos (tucanus) cuvieri"
* Toco Toucan, "Ramphastos toco"

Diversity of toucan bills

References

* Price, Roger D. & Weckstein, Jason D. (2005): The genus "Austrophilopterus" Ewing (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) from toucans, toucanets, and araçaris (Piciformes: Ramphastidae). "Zootaxa" 918: 1-18. [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2005f/z00918f.pdf PDF fulltext]

External links

* [http://www.emeraldforestbirds.com/EmeraldGallery.htm Extensive Gallery on Toucans]
* [http://www.mangoverde.com/birdsound/fam/fam102.html List of Toucans]
* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/familia.phtml?idFamilia=101 Toucan videos] on the Internet Bird Collection