Coccycua is a small genus of birds in the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. Its three species are found in the tropical Americas.
Formerly, they were divided among in Coccyzus (two species) and Piaya (one species), or the former were assigned to Micrococcyx and only the latter to Coccycua. Following the discovery that they form a monophyletic lineage equidistant to both related genera, Coccycua has been revalidated.
Species The species are: Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Coccycua minuta Little cuckoo Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena, Amazon Basin, Guianas and western Cerrado Coccycua pumila Dwarf cuckoo Colombia and Venezuela Coccycua cinerea Ash-colored cuckoo northern and central Argentina to Uruguay and São Paulo (state); winters north towards Amazonas
Synonyms The genus name Coccycua has often been believed to be a misspelling, and various emendations have been proposed. However, the name as originally written is valid. The junior synonyms are: Coccicua Lesson, 1837 (unjustified emendation) Coccygua Fitzinger, 1856 (unjustified emendation) Coccyzaea Hartlaub, 1842 (unjustified emendation) Coccyzusa Cabanis & Heine, (unjustified emendation) Micrococcyx Ridgway, 1912
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