Phasianus

Taxobox
name = "Phasianus"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Galliformes
familia = Phasianidae
genus = "Phasianus"
genus_authority = Linnaeus, 1758
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

The genus "Phasianus" in the Pheasant family consists of at least one species, the Common Pheasant, "P. colchicus", which has thirty recognised subspecies, twenty-nine on the Asian mainland and one on the island of Taiwan off the southern coast of China.

Both "Phasianus" and "pheasant" comes from the Greek word "phāsiānos", meaning "(bird) of the Phasis" [ [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=phasianus&searchmode=none Online Etymology Dictionary ] ] . Phasis is the ancient name of the main river of western Georgia, currently called Rioni.

Some subspecies have been introduced to North America and hybridized, and have now become well established there.

The three forms on the Japanese islands are considered by some experts to be variants of a distinct species, the Green Pheasant, "P. versicolor", but others consider the Japanese birds to be part of the Common Pheasant complex, making thirty-three subspecies in total.

References