Merops (genus)

Merops (genus)
Merops
European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Meropidae
Genus: Merops
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

Many, see text

Merops is a large genus of bee-eaters, a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. The members of this Old World family are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. They predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air.

All bee-eaters are in the genus Merops and subfamily Meropinae except for three Asiatic bearded bee-eaters in the subfamily Nyctyornithinae.

The species in Merops are:

References

  • C H Fry & Kathie Fry; illustrated by Alan Harris (2000). Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691048797. 

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Merops — may refer to: Merops (genus), a genus of bee eaters. MEROPS, an on line database for peptidases. It may also refer to several figures from Greek mythology: King of Ethiopia, husband of Clymene, who lay with Helios and bore Phaethon Resident of… …   Wikipedia

  • Merops apiaster — Bee eater Bee eat er, n. (Zo[ o]l.) (a) A bird of the genus {Merops}, that feeds especially on bees. The European species ({Merops apiaster}) is remarkable for its brilliant colors. (b) An African bird of the genus {Rhinopomastes}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • genus Merops — noun type genus of the Meropidae • Syn: ↑Merops • Hypernyms: ↑bird genus • Member Holonyms: ↑Meropidae, ↑family Meropidae …   Useful english dictionary

  • Merops — noun type genus of the Meropidae • Syn: ↑genus Merops • Hypernyms: ↑bird genus • Member Holonyms: ↑Meropidae, ↑family Meropidae …   Useful english dictionary

  • bird genus — noun a genus of birds • Hypernyms: ↑genus • Hyponyms: ↑genus Protoavis, ↑genus Archaeopteryx, ↑genus Archeopteryx, ↑genus Sinornis, ↑genus Ibero mesornis, ↑gen …   Useful english dictionary

  • Sphinx merops — Taxobox name = Sphinx merops image width = 250px image caption = Sphinx merops , adult regnum = Animalia phylum = Arthropoda classis = Insecta ordo = Lepidoptera familia = Sphingidae genus = Sphinx species = S. merops binomial = Sphinx merops… …   Wikipedia

  • Meropidae — noun bee eaters • Syn: ↑family Meropidae • Hypernyms: ↑bird family • Member Holonyms: ↑Coraciiformes, ↑order Coraciiformes • Member Meronyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Nyctyornis — Blue bearded Bee eater Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

  • family Meropidae — noun bee eaters • Syn: ↑Meropidae • Hypernyms: ↑bird family • Member Holonyms: ↑Coraciiformes, ↑order Coraciiformes • Member Meronyms: ↑Me …   Useful english dictionary

  • Southern Carmine Bee-eater — Merops nubicoides Conservation status Least Concern ( …   Wikipedia

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