Daptrius is a genus of birds of prey in the family Falconidae comprising most of the caracaras. All members are endemic to South America, except for the yellow-headed caracara, which is also found in Costa Rica and Panama. The genus includes species previously placed in the genera Milvago and Phalcoboenus.
Taxonomy
The genus Daptrius was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Vieillot to accommodate a single species, Datrius ater Vieillot, the black caracara. This is the type species. The genus name is from Ancient Greek δαπτης/daptēs meaning "bloodsucker" or "eater", from δαπτω/daptō meaning "to devour".
This genus now includes species that were formerly placed in the genera Milvago and Phalcoboenus. Molecular genetic studies found that Milvago was polyphyletic with the chimango caracara (Milvago chimango) sister to the genus Phalcoboenus and the yellow-headed caracara (Milvago chimachima) sister to Daptrius. As the genetic divergence was relatively shallow, the polyphyly was resolved by expanding the genus Daptrius to include the two other genera.
The genus contains seven species:
Image
Common name
Scientific name
Distribution
Yellow-headed caracara
Daptrius chimachima (formerly in Milvago)
Costa Rica to north Argentina
Black caracara
Daptrius ater
Amazonia
Chimango caracara
Daptrius chimango (formerly in Milvago)
southern South America
Carunculated caracara
Daptrius carunculatus (formerly in Phalcoboenus)
Ecuador and southwest Colombia
Mountain caracara
Daptrius megalopterus (formerly in Phalcoboenus)
Peru to central Chile
White-throated caracara
Daptrius albogularis (formerly in Phalcoboenus)
south Chile and south Argentina
Striated caracara
Daptrius australis (formerly in Phalcoboenus)
Tierra del Fuego, Isla de los Estados (Staten Island), Navarino Island, and Falkland Islands
Fossil species
†Daptrius brodkorbi (Late Pleistocene of Peru)
†Daptrius alexandri (Late Pleistocene of...
