Galerida is a genus of birds in the family Alaudidae. The current scientific name is derived from Latin. Galerida was the name for a lark with a crest, from galerum, "cap". The name Galerida is synonymous with the earlier genus names Calendula, Heliocorys and Ptilocorys.
Taxonomy and systematics The genus Galerida was established by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie in 1828. The type species was subsequently designated as the crested lark.
Extant species The genus contains six species: Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Galerida deva Sykes's lark central India Galerida modesta Sun lark Guinea to South Sudan Galerida magnirostris Large-billed lark southern Africa Galerida theklae Thekla lark Iberian Peninsula, in northern Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Somalia Galerida cristata Crested lark northern Africa and in parts of western Asia and China Galerida malabarica Malabar lark western India.
Extinct species There are at least two fossil species which are included in this genus: †Galerida bulgarica (late Pliocene of Varshets, Bulgaria) †Galerida pannonica (Pliocene of Csarnota, Hungary)
Former species Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Galerida: Short-tailed lark (as Galerida fremantlii) Dunn's lark (as Calendula dunni)
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