Отправлено: 24.05.22 18:25. Заголовок: Fauna of Neocene Islands

I return with another topic! This time to discuss the islands that still need species.
I had some ideas for animals of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, most of them are descendants of introduced species. One being a descendant of the spotted deer.
Also, would the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha in the coast of Brazil exist in the Neocene?

 Отправлено: 04.06.22 11:34. Заголовок: JOrnitho It's O..

JOrnitho
It's OK, thanks.

 Отправлено: 19.06.22 16:11. Заголовок: I made another descr..

I made another description for Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. This time is a dove.

Pin-tailed dove (Zenaida apicauda)
The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However some species survived and in the Neocene they gave rise to new species. One of these new species is the pin-tailed dove, a descendant of the eared dove (Zenaida auriculata). This species inhabits the forests of the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, but small populations inhabits the coastal areas of the continent that are close to the Archipelago.
The males of pin-tailed doves are larger than the females. They have 28 cm of length, while the females have 24 cm. Their size increases with the main characteristic of the species, a 15 cm elongated central feather on their wedge-shaped tail. They have a mainly chestnut upperpart plumage, with black spots on the wings. The head has a grey crown, black line behind the eye, and an iridescent path is found on the side of the neck. The underparts are dark brown, and the tail is tipped with cinnamon. Female and juvenile coloration is slightly duller, lacking the iridescence in their neck. The bill is black and the legs dark red.
These birds feed mainly on seeds, but they can also eat insects and small fruits. They forage in the ground, forming small flocks of three to six individuals.
The pin-tailed dove is monogamous, with the male and female forming pairs that last until one of them dies. When it happens, the surviving individual will seek a new partner. It builds a solid but sparsely lined cup-shaped stick nest in a tree and lays two white eggs. Incubation is 13 days with another 14 days to fledging. There is no fixed breeding and provided with plentiful food, birds breed almost continuously. Chick mortality through predation and falls from the nest is high. They reach sexual maturity with one year and have a lifespan of 13 years.

 Отправлено: 19.06.22 17:10. Заголовок: JOrnitho Good dove!..

JOrnitho
Good dove!

 Отправлено: 14.07.22 17:42. Заголовок: I made the descripti..

I made the description of other two birds for Fernando de Noronha.

Insular racket-tailed tyrant (Tyrannoelegans insularis)
The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However the species that were resilient enough survived, with their descendants now living in the Neocene. The genus Tyrannoelegans is part of the Tyrannidae Family. These birds originated in the savannas of South America, but some species have adapted to different biomes. One of the members of this genus is the insular racket-tailed tyrant, an endemic species of the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.
The insular racket-tailed tyrant has 18 cm of length and a wingspan of 38 cm. This species is sexually dimorphic, with the males having bright reddish-orange underparts, while the rest of the plumage is dark brown. Their head is black with a strong white supercilium and a concealed yellow crown stripe. The females are drab and have a peach-colored belly with a dark gray upperside. Their head is pale brown. The main characteristic of the genus are the conspicuous elongated outer feathers on its tail which have long streamers ending in paddle-shaped tips. Both sexes have this characteristic but the length is different. In the males it's 10 cm, while in females the length is 8 cm.
These birds are mostly insectivorous, but will occasionally eat small berries. When hunting insects, they perch openly in trees, several meters above ground. From such perches they will sally out for considerable distances to catch insects in flight, to which purpose they utilize a range of aerobatic maneuvers. They also regularly hover and glean for prey. Such predatory behavior is shared with other members of the genus.
The insular racket-tailed tyrant is a monogamous bird, with the pairs defending a territory against members of the same species. These birds are aggressive around predators, mobbing them and alerting nearby prey with their aggressiveness. This species breed during the spring and summer. Both sexes build a large domed nest that has a side entrance. It's chiefly composed of grasses and small twigs. The nest is placed in a wide range of sites, often in an exposed position high up in a tree, but occasionally the nest is placed in a cavity. The clutch is 3 to 4 eggs. These are moderately glossy, light yellowish cream in colour with purplish black and purplish brown spots. Only the female incubates the eggs; the male guards the nest while she leaves the nest to feed. The eggs hatch after 16–17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge after 17–18 days. They reach sexual maturity with 11 months and have a lifespan of 9 years.
The insular racket-tailed tyrant closest relative is the scarlet racket-tailed tyrant (Tyrannoelegans rubroventer), a inhabitant of the Atlantic forests of Southeastern and Northeastern South America. They have 22 cm of length and 40 cm of wingspan. The males are similar to that of the insular species, with the exception of the vivid and bright red underparts that are present in the continental species. The plumage of the female of this species is also similar to that of the other. Another species of the genus is the Amazon racket-tailed tyrant (Tyrannoelegans amazonicus). This species inhabits the rainforests of the Amazon basin. They have 20 cm of length and 38 cm of wingspan. The males of this species have bright orange underparts.

Noronha cardinal (Paroaria noronhensis)
During the Holocene, the man introduced many species to other continents. The Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha received many exotic species, not only through the humans but also that arrived there by themselves. The red-cowled cardinal (Paroaria dominicana) was introduced in the Archipelago where they found good conditions to their survival. Due to that, they survived and gave origin to the Noronha cardinal in the Neocene. This species is endemic to the Archipelago, with most of the population being found in the largest island.
The Noronha cardinal has 14 cm of length and 31 cm of wingspan. Both sexes have similar plumage, with a bright scarlet head and throat, with black ear-coverts that give the appearance of masks. They have a short crest that is raised by the birds when excited.  Belly, breast and undertail are white, with a gray back, wings, and tail. Wing coverts are gray, but the primaries, secondaries, and rectrices show a darker gray. Juveniles are similar to the adults, but they show a dull brownish orange head and bib. The beak and legs are pale gray.
This species feeds mainly on seeds, fruits, insects and other small arthropods. They generally search for food in the ground, forming pairs or small groups.
The Noronha cardinal is a monogamous bird, with the pairs staying together  while they are in flock. During the breeding season they live strictly in pairs, being extremely faithful to a territory, defended by the male. Each brood usually has between 2 and 3 eggs, with 2 to 4 broods per season. The chicks are born after 13 days and are fed by both parents. They fledge with 21 day and reaches sexual maturity at 10 months. The lifespan of the nomad cardinal is 4 years.

 Отправлено: 14.07.22 20:40. Заголовок: JOrnitho Good ones!..

JOrnitho
Good ones!