Pterylosis of the wing and tail in the Noisy Scrub-Bird Atrichornis clamosus, and Superb Lyrebird, Menura novahollandiae (Passeriformes: Atrichornithidae and Menuridae)
Abstract
The wing and tail pterylosis of Atrichornis clamosus and Menura novaehollandiae were studied. On comparing the wing pterylosis, a great difference was found in the number of the remiges and coverts, especially those in the forearm. In comparison with Ploceus nigerrimus (Morlion, 1971), chosen as a representative passerine, we saw that in wing pterylosis Atrichornis is much nearer to the Passeres than is Menura. In the tail pterylosis, a great difference also exists between the two species investigated: not only in the aspect of the feathers, but also in the number of rectrices, greater upper and under tail coverts and in the presence or absence of the first pair of upper and under tail coverts. In contrast to the wing pterylosis, however, the tail pterylosis of Atrichornis is markedly different from Ploceus nigerrimus.
