Large-billed tern

The large-billed tern (Phaetusa simplex) is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It is placed the monotypic genus Phaetusa. It is found in most of South America (east of the Andes and north of the Pampas). It has occurred as a vagrant in Aruba, Bermuda, Cuba, Panama and the United States. Its natural habitats are rivers and freshwater lakes.

Large-billed tern
at Cuiaba river, Pantanal, Mato Grosso state, Brazil
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Laridae
Genus:	Phaetusa Wagler, 1832
Species:	P. simplex
Binomial name
Phaetusa simplex (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

Taxonomy

The large-billed tern was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the other terns in the genus Sterna and coined the binomial name Sterna simplex.^[2] Gmelin based his description on the "simple tern" that had been described in 1785 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his book A General Synopsis of Birds from a specimen that had been collected in Cayenne, French Guiana.^[3] The large-billed tern is now the only species placed in the genus Phaetusa that was introduced for the species in 1832 by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler.^[4][5] The genus name comes from Greek mythology. Phaetusa (or Heliades) was sister to Phaethon and one of the daughters of Phoebus (Helios) and Clymene. The specific epithet simplex is Latin meaning "simple" or "plain".^[6] The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.^[5]

Description

The large-billed tern is large, short-tailed tern with a large yellow bill. It is around 38 cm (15 in) in overall length and weighs 208–247 g (7.3–8.7 oz). The crown and ear-coverts are black, the upperparts are grey, the secondaries, primary coverts, lores and underparts are white. The legs and feet are yellow. A non-breeding adult has a paler crown and forehead.^[7]

Gallery

• 

• 
  File:Phaetusa_simplex_-_Large-billed_Tern_(young).jpgJuvenile at Lagoa do Peixe National Park, Tavares, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil
• 
  File:Large-billed_Tern_(Phaetusa_simplex),_Pantanal,_Brazil.jpgIn the Pantanal, Brazil
• 
  File:Large-billed_tern_(Phaetusa_simplex)_in_flight.JPGIn the Pantanal, Brazil
• 
  File:Large-billed_tern_(Phaetusa_simplex)_in_flight_2.JPGIn the Pantanal, Brazil

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Phaetusa simplex". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22694791A93468502. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22694791A93468502.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. Gmelin, Johann Friedrich (1789). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1, Part 2 (13th ed.). Lipsiae [Leipzig]: Georg. Emanuel. Beer. p. 606.
3. Latham, John (1785). A General Synopsis of Birds. Vol. 3, Part 2. London: Printed for Leigh and Sotheby. p. 355, No. 7.
4. Wagler, Johann Georg (1832). "Neue Sippen und Gattungen der Säugthiere und Vögel". Isis von Oken (in German). 1832. cols 1218–1235 [1224].
5. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2022). "Noddies, gulls, terns, skimmers, skuas, auks". IOC World Bird List Version 12.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
6. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 301, 356. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
7. Burger, J.; Golchfeld, M. (1996). "Large-billed tern". In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. p. 664. ISBN 978-84-87334-20-7.