Openbill stork

Template:Short description Template:Redirect-distinguish Template:Automatic taxobox The openbill storks or openbills are two species of stork (family Ciconiidae) in the genus Anastomus. They are large wading birds characterized by large bills, the mandibles of which do not meet except at the tip. This feature develops only in the adults. Both species feed predominantly on molluscs. The roof of the upper bill is fringed with plate-like structures ("lamellae") in the African openbill, but these are absent in the Asian openbill.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Taxonomy

The genus Anastomus was erected by the French naturalist Pierre Bonnaterre in 1791.<ref>Template:Cite book Although the title page bears the date of 1823 the section (livraison) containing the description was published in 1791. See: Template:Cite book</ref> The type species was subsequently designated as the Asian openbill (Anastomus oscitans).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The name Anastomus is from the Ancient Greek αναστομοω anastomoō meaning "to furnish with a mouth" or "with mouth wide-opened".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

There are two species of openbilled storks:<ref name=ioc>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Species table

References

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