Electron (bird)
Encyclopedia
Electron is a genus of the motmot
s, a family
of Neotropical near passerine
bird
s. The genus has two species:
Both inhabit humid evergreen tropical forest. Both occur in Central America
, and the Broad-billed Motmot occurs in a large region of South America
as well.
They are distinguished from other motmots by their much wider bills. The rackets on their tails are less dramatic than those of many other motmot species and may be absent. The species are very similar except in adult plumage (but the adult Keel-billed resembles the juvenile Broad-billed). A mixed pair apparently courting has been observed (Howell and Webb 1995).
The name Electron is a Latin
ization of the Ancient Greek
word for amber
, and can mean "bright" in scientific names (Jaeger 1978); the amber-colored eyes of the Keel-billed Motmot (Howell and Webb 1995) may be the connection. The name was given 46 years before an elementary particle was named electron
.
Motmot
The motmots or Momotidae are a family of birds in the near passerine order Coraciiformes, which also includes the kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers. All extant motmots are restricted to woodland or forest in the Neotropics, and the largest diversity is in Middle America. They have a colourful...
s, a family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of Neotropical near passerine
Near passerine
Near passerine or higher land-bird assemblage are terms often given to arboreal birds or those most often believed to be related to the true passerines due to ecological similarities; the group corresponds to some extent with the Anomalogonatae of Garrod All near passerines are land birds...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s. The genus has two species:
- Keel-billed MotmotKeel-billed MotmotThe Keel-billed Motmot is a species of bird in the Momotidae family.It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua....
, Electron carinatum - Broad-billed MotmotBroad-billed MotmotThe Broad-billed Motmot is a species of bird in the Momotidae family.It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest.-References:*...
, Electron platyrhynchum
Both inhabit humid evergreen tropical forest. Both occur in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, and the Broad-billed Motmot occurs in a large region of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
as well.
They are distinguished from other motmots by their much wider bills. The rackets on their tails are less dramatic than those of many other motmot species and may be absent. The species are very similar except in adult plumage (but the adult Keel-billed resembles the juvenile Broad-billed). A mixed pair apparently courting has been observed (Howell and Webb 1995).
The name Electron is a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
ization of the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
word for amber
Amber
Amber is fossilized tree resin , which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents...
, and can mean "bright" in scientific names (Jaeger 1978); the amber-colored eyes of the Keel-billed Motmot (Howell and Webb 1995) may be the connection. The name was given 46 years before an elementary particle was named electron
Electron
The electron is a subatomic particle with a negative elementary electric charge. It has no known components or substructure; in other words, it is generally thought to be an elementary particle. An electron has a mass that is approximately 1/1836 that of the proton...
.