Editing Lark (section)

==Taxonomy and systematics ==
The family Alaudidae was introduced in 1825 by the Irish zoologist [[Nicholas Aylward Vigors]] as a subfamily Alaudina of the finch family [[Fringillidae]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Bock | first=Walter J. | year=1994 | title=History and Nomenclature of Avian Family-Group Names | series=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History | volume= 222 | publisher=American Museum of Natural History | place=New York | pages=149, 264 | hdl=2246/830 }}<!--Linked page allows download of the 48MB pdf--></ref><ref>{{ cite journal | last=Vigors | first=Nicholas Aylward | author-link=Nicholas Aylward Vigors | year=1825 | title=On the arrangement of the genera of birds | journal=Zoological Journal | volume=2 | pages=391–405 [398] | url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2255535 }}</ref> Larks are a well-defined family, partly because of the shape of their {{Birdgloss|tarsus}}.<ref name="Ridgway 1907">{{cite journal | last = Ridgway | first = Robert | author-link = Robert Ridgway | year = 1907 | journal = Bulletin of the United States National Museum | volume = 50 | title=The Birds of North and Middle America, Part IV | pages = 289–290 | url = https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7492565 }}</ref> They have multiple [[Scute#Birds|scutes]] on the hind side of their tarsi, rather than the single plate found in most [[songbirds]]. They also lack a [[pessulus]], the bony central structure in the syrinx of [[songbirds]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Ames | first=Peter L. | year=1971 | title=The morphology of the syrinx in passerine birds | series=Bulletin 37, Peabody Museum of Natural History | place=New Haven, Connecticut | publisher=Yale University | page=104 | url=http://peabody.yale.edu/sites/default/files/documents/scientific-publications/ypmB37_1971.pdf | access-date=2018-07-22 | archive-date=2021-02-25 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225094838/http://peabody.yale.edu/sites/default/files/documents/scientific-publications/ypmB37_1971.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>  They were long placed at or near the beginning of the songbirds or oscines (now often called [[Passeri]]), just after the [[suboscines]] and before the [[swallow]]s, for example in the [[American Ornithologists' Union]]'s first check-list.<ref name=Patterson2002>{{cite web | last = Patterson | first = Bob | year = 2002 | title = The History of North American Bird Names in the American Ornithologists' Union Checklists 1886 - 2000 | url = http://members.aol.com/darwinpage/zoo/AOUd.htm | access-date = 24 June 2008}}</ref>  Some authorities, such as the [[British Ornithologists' Union]]<ref name=Dudley2006>{{cite journal | last1 = Dudley | first1 = Steve P. | last2 = Gee | first2 = Mike | last3 = Kehoe | first3 = Chris | last4 = Melling | first4 = Tim M. | year = 2006 | title = The British List: A Checklist of Birds of Britain (7th edition) | journal = Ibis | volume = 148 | issue = 3 | pages = 526–563 | doi = 10.1111/j.1474-919X.2006.00603.x | url = http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/153488/1/153488.pdf | doi-access = free }}</ref> and the ''[[Handbook of the Birds of the World]]'', adhere to that placement.  However, many other classifications follow the [[Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy]] in placing the larks in a large oscine subgroup [[Passerida]] (which excludes [[Corvidae|crows]], [[shrike]]s and their allies, [[Vireonidae|vireo]]s, and many groups characteristic of Australia and southeastern Asia).  For instance, the American Ornithologists' Union places larks just after the crows, shrikes, and vireos.  At a finer level of detail, some now place the larks at the beginning of a [[Taxonomic rank|superfamily]] Sylvioidea with the swallows, various "[[Old World warbler]]" and "[[Old World babbler|babbler]]" groups, [[Passerine|and others]].<ref name=Barker2002>{{cite journal | last = Barker | first = F. Keith |author2=Barrowclough, George F. |author3=Groth, Jeff G. | year = 2002 | title = A phylogenetic hypothesis for passerine birds: taxonomic and biogeographic implications of an analysis of nuclear DNA sequence data | journal =Proceedings of the Royal Society B | volume=269 | issue=1488 | pages= 295–308 | doi = 10.1098/rspb.2001.1883 | doi-access=free | pmc=1690884 | pmid=11839199}}</ref><ref name="Alström2006">{{cite journal | last1 = Alström | first1 = Per | last2 = Ericson | first2 = Per G.P. | last3 = Olsson | first3 = Urban | last4 = Sundberg | first4 = Per | title = Phylogeny and classification of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 38 | issue = 2 | year=2006 | pages=381–397 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.015 | pmid = 16054402}}</ref> [[Molecular phylogenetic]] studies have shown that within the Sylvioidea the larks form a [[sister taxon|sister]] [[clade]] to the family [[Panuridae]] which contains a single species, the [[bearded reedling]] (''Panurus biarmicus'').<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Fregin | first1=Silke | last2=Haase | first2=Martin | last3=Olsson | first3=Urban | last4=Alström | first4=Per | year=2012 | title=New insights into family relationships within the avian superfamily Sylvioidea (Passeriformes) based on seven molecular markers | journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume=12 | issue=157 | pages=1–12 | doi=10.1186/1471-2148-12-157 | pmid=22920688 | pmc=3462691 | doi-access=free }}</ref> The phylogeny of larks (Alaudidae) was reviewed in 2013, leading to the recognition of the arrangement below.<ref name="Alström et al. (2013)">{{cite journal|last1=Alström|first1=Per|last2=Barnes|first2=Keith N.|last3=Olsson|first3=Urban|last4=Barker|first4=F. Keith|last5=Bloomer|first5=Paulette|last6=Khan|first6=Aleem Ahmed|last7=Qureshi|first7=Masood Ahmed|last8=Guillaumet|first8=Alban|last9=Crochet|first9=Pierre-Andre|last10=Ryan|first10=Peter G.|title=Multilocus phylogeny of the avian family Alaudidae (larks) reveals complex morphological evolution, non-monophyletic genera and hidden species diversity|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|year=2013|volume=69 | issue=3 |pages=1043–1056|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2013.06.005|pmid=23792153|url=http://pub.epsilon.slu.se/11222/90/alstrom_et_al_140630.pdf}}</ref><ref name=ioc/>

The genus level cladogram shown below is based on a [[molecular phylogenetic]] study of the larks by Per Alström and collaborators published in 2023. The subfamilies are those proposed by the authors.<ref name=alstrom2023>{{Cite journal | last1=Alström | first1=P. | last2=Mohammadi | first2=Z. | last3=Enbody | first3=E.D. | last4=Irestedt | first4=M. | last5=Engelbrecht | first5=D. | last6=Crochet | first6=P.-A. | last7=Guillaumet | first7=A. | last8=Rancilhac | first8=L. | last9=Tieleman | first9=B.I. | last10=Olsson | first10=U. | last11=Donald | first11=P.F. | last12=Stervander | first12=M. | date=2023 | title=Systematics of the avian family Alaudidae using multilocus and genomic data | journal=Avian Research | volume=14 | pages=100095 | doi=10.1016/j.avrs.2023.100095 | doi-access=free}}</ref> For two species the results conflict with the taxonomy published online in July 2023 by [[Frank Gill (ornithologist)|Frank Gill]], [[Pamela Rasmussen]] and David Donsker on behalf of the [[International Ornithological Committee]] (IOC): the [[rusty bush lark]] (''Mirafra rufa'') and [[Gillett's lark]] (''Mirafra gilletti'') were found to be embedded in the genus ''[[Calendulauda]]''.<ref name=ioc/><ref name=alstrom2023/> Alström and collaborators proposed that the genus ''[[Mirafra]]'' should be split into four genera: ''Mirafra'', ''Plocealauda'', ''Amirafra'' and ''Corypha''.<ref name=alstrom2023/>

{{Clade | style=font-size:100%;line-height:100%
|label1='''Alaudidae'''
|1={{clade
   |label1=Certhilaudinae
   |1={{clade
      |1={{clade
         |1=''[[Alaemon]]'' – hoopoe-larks (2 species)
         |2={{clade
            |1={{clade
               |1=''[[Ammomanopsis]]'' – Gray's lark
               |2=''[[Chersomanes]]'' – larks (2 species)
               }}
            |2=''[[Certhilauda]]'' – long-billed larks (6 species)
            }}
         }}
      |2={{clade
         |1=''[[Eremopterix]]'' –  sparrow-larks (8 species)
         |2={{clade
            |1=''[[Pinarocorys]]'' – larks (2 species)
            |2={{clade
               |1=''[[Ramphocoris]]'' – thick-billed lark
               |2=''[[Ammomanes]]'' – larks (3 species)
               }}
            }}
         }}
      }}
   |2={{clade
      |label1=Mirafrinae
      |1={{clade
         |1=''[[Calendulauda]]''  – larks (8 species)
         |2={{clade
            |1=''[[Heteromirafra]]'' – larks (2 species)
            |2={{clade
               |1={{clade
                  |1=''[[Mirafra]]'' – larks (7 species)
                  |2=''[[Plocealauda]]'' – bush larks (5 species)
                  }}
               |2={{clade
                  |1=''[[Amirafra]]'' – larks (3 species)
                  |2=''[[Corypha (bird)|Corypha]]'' – larks (11 species)
                  }}
               }} 
            }}
         }}
      |label2=Alaudinae
      |2={{clade
         |1={{clade
            |1={{clade
               |1=''[[Lullula]]'' – woodlark
               |2=''[[Spizocorys]]'' – larks (7 species)
               }}
            |2={{clade
               |1=''[[Alauda]]'' – skylarks (4 species)
               |2=''[[Galerida]]'' – larks (7 species)
               }}
            }}
         |2={{clade
            |1={{clade
               |1=''[[Eremophila (bird)|Eremophila]]'' – horned larks (2 species)
               |2=''[[Calandrella]]'' – short-toed larks (6 species)
               }}
            |2={{clade
               |1=''[[Melanocorypha]]'' – larks (5 species)
               |2={{clade
                  |1={{clade
                     |1=''[[Chersophilus]]'' – Dupont's lark
                     |2=''[[Eremalauda]]'' – larks (2 species)
                     }}
                  |2=''[[Alaudala]]'' – short-toed larks (6 species)
                  }}
               }}
            }}
         }}
      }}
   }}
}}

=== Extant genera===
The family Alaudidae contains 102 extant species which are divided into 24 [[genera]]:<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=August 2024 | title=Nicators, Bearded Reedling, larks | work=IOC World Bird List Version 14.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/larks/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=9 September 2024 }}</ref> For more detail, see [[list of lark species]].
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Image !! Genus   !! Living Species
|-
|[[File:Greater Hoopoe Lark - Kutch, crop.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Alaemon]]''''' {{small|Keyserling & Blasius, 1840}}||
*[[Greater hoopoe-lark]] (''Alaemon alaudipes'')
*[[Lesser hoopoe-lark]] (''Alaemon hamertoni'')
|-
|[[File:Spike-heeled lark 2018 03 10 13 20 38 3271.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Chersomanes]]''''' {{small|Cabanis, 1851}}||
* [[Beesley's lark]] (''Chersomanes beesleyi'')
* [[Spike-heeled lark]] (''Chersomanes albofasciata'')
|-
|[[File:Gray's lark -4770 - Flickr - Ragnhild & Neil Crawford.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Ammomanopsis]]''''' {{small|Bianchi, 1905}}||
*Gray's lark (''Ammomanopsis grayi'')
|-
|[[File:Eastern Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda semitorquata) calling ... (30544868485), crop.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Certhilauda]]''''' {{small|Swainson, 1827}}||
* [[Short-clawed lark]] (''Certhilauda chuana'')
* [[Karoo long-billed lark]] (''Certhilauda subcoronata'')
* [[Benguela long-billed lark]] (''Certhilauda benguelensis'')
* [[Eastern long-billed lark]] (''Certhilauda semitorquata'')
* [[Cape long-billed lark]] (''Certhilauda curvirostris'')
* [[Agulhas long-billed lark]] (''Certhilauda brevirostris'')
|-
|[[File:Pinarocorys nigricans 189372404, crop.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Pinarocorys]]''''' {{small|Shelley, 1902}}||
* [[Dusky lark]] (''Pinarocorys nigricans'')
* [[Rufous-rumped lark]] (''Pinarocorys erythropygia'')
|-
|[[File:Alouette de Clot Bey Ramphocoris clotbey (cropped).jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Ramphocoris]]''''' {{small|Bonaparte, 1850}}||
*Thick-billed lark (''Ramphocoris clotbey'') 
|-
|[[File:Rufous-tailed Lark (Ammomanes phoenicurus) in Kawal WS, AP W IMG 2004.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Ammomanes]]''''' {{small|Cabanis, 1851}}||
* [[Desert lark]] (''Ammomanes deserti'')
* [[Bar-tailed lark]] (''Ammomanes cinctura'')
* [[Rufous-tailed lark]] (''Ammomanes phoenicura'')
|-
|[[File:Fisher's Sparrow-Lark - Tanzania 2008-03-01 0063 (16759772588).jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Eremopterix]]''''' {{small|Kaup, 1836}}||
* [[Black-eared sparrow-lark]] (''Eremopterix australis'')
* [[Madagascar lark]] (''Eremopterix hova'')
* [[Black-crowned sparrow-lark]] (''Eremopterix nigriceps'')
* [[Chestnut-backed sparrow-lark]] (''Eremopterix leucotis'')
* [[Ashy-crowned sparrow-lark]] (''Eremopterix griseus'')
* [[Chestnut-headed sparrow-lark]] (''Eremopterix signatus'')
* [[Grey-backed sparrow-lark]] (''Eremopterix verticalis'')
* [[Fischer's sparrow-lark]] (''Eremopterix leucopareia'')
|-
|[[File:Pink-breasted Lark - KenyaIMG 6762 (16740113947).jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Calendulauda]]''''' {{small|Blyth, 1855}}||
* [[Sabota lark]] (''Calendulauda sabota'')
* [[Pink-breasted lark]] (''Calendulauda poecilosterna'')
* [[Foxy lark]] (''Calendulauda alopex'')
* [[Fawn-coloured lark]] (''Calendulauda africanoides'')
* [[Karoo lark]] (''Calendulauda albescens'')
* [[Red lark]] (''Calendulauda burra'')
* [[Dune lark]] (''Calendulauda erythrochlamys'')
* [[Barlow's lark]] (''Calendulauda barlowi'')
|-
|[[File:Heteromirafra ruddi, Wakkerstroom, Birding Weto, a.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Heteromirafra]]''''' {{small|Grant, 1913}}||
* [[Rudd's lark]] (''Heteromirafra ruddi'') <small>([[Claude Henry Baxter Grant|Grant]], 1908)</small>
* [[Archer's lark]] (''Heteromirafra archeri'') <small>[[Stephenson Robert Clarke|Clarke]], 1920</small>
|-
|[[File:Red-winged Lark, crop.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Mirafra]]''''' {{small|Horsfield, 1821}}||
* [[Eastern clapper lark]] (''Mirafra fasciolata'')
* [[Cape clapper lark]] (''Mirafra apiata'')
* [[Red-winged lark]] (''Mirafra hypermetra'')
* [[Rufous-naped lark]] (''Mirafra africana'')
* [[Sharpe's lark]] (''Mirafra sharpii'')
* [[Flappet lark]] (''Mirafra rufocinnamomea'')
* [[Angola lark]] (''Mirafra angolensis'')
* [[Williams's lark]] (''Mirafra williamsi'')
* [[Monotonous lark]] (''Mirafra passerina'')
* [[Melodious lark]] (''Mirafra cheniana'')
* [[Singing bush lark]] (''Mirafra javanica'')
* [[Burmese bush lark]] (''Mirafra microptera'')
* [[Bengal bush lark]] (''Mirafra assamica'')
* [[Indochinese bush lark]] (''Mirafra erythrocephala'')
* [[Indian bush lark]] (''Mirafra erythroptera'')
* [[Jerdon's bush lark]] (''Mirafra affinis'') 
* [[Gillett's lark]] (''Mirafra gilletti'')
* [[Rusty bush lark]] (''Mirafra rufa'')
* [[Collared lark]] (''Mirafra collaris'')
* [[Ash's lark]] (''Mirafra ashi'')
* [[Somali lark]] (''Mirafra somalica'')
* [[Friedmann's lark]] (''Mirafra pulpa'')
* [[Kordofan lark]] (''Mirafra cordofanica'')
* [[White-tailed lark]] (''Mirafra albicauda'')
|-
|[[File:Lullula arborea (Ján Svetlík).jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Lullula]]''''' {{small|Kaup, 1829}}||
*[[Woodlark]] (''Lullula arborea'')
|-
|[[File:Pseudalaemon fremantlii -East Africa-8.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Spizocorys]]''''' {{small|Sundevall, 1872}}||
* [[Obbia lark]] (''Spizocorys obbiensis'')
* [[Sclater's lark]] (''Spizocorys sclateri'')
* [[Stark's lark]] (''Spizocorys starki'') 
* [[Short-tailed lark]] (''Spizocorys fremantlii'') 
* [[Masked lark]] (''Spizocorys personata'')
* [[Botha's lark]] (''Spizocorys fringillaris'')
* [[Pink-billed lark]] (''Spizocorys conirostris'')
|-
|[[File:Alauda arvensis 2.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Alauda]]''''' {{small|Linnaeus, 1758}}||
* [[White-winged lark]] (''Alauda leucoptera'')
* [[Raso lark]] (''Alauda razae'')
* [[Oriental skylark]] (''Alauda gulgula'')
* [[Eurasian skylark]] (''Alauda arvensis'')
|-
|[[File:Syke's Lark Galerida deva by Dr. Raju Kasambe DSCN5681 (2).jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Galerida]]''''' {{small|Boie, F, 1828}}||
* [[Sykes's lark]] (''Galerida deva'')
* [[Sun lark]] (''Galerida modesta'')
* [[Large-billed lark]] (''Galerida magnirostris'')
* [[Thekla lark]] (''Galerida theklae'')
* [[Crested lark]] (''Galerida cristata'')
* [[Malabar lark]] (''Galerida malabarica'')
* [[Maghreb lark]] (''Galerida macrorhyncha'')
|-
|[[File:Shore Lark.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Eremophila (bird)|Eremophila]]''''' {{small|F. Boie, 1828}}||
* [[Horned lark]] (''Eremophila alpestris'')
* [[Temminck's lark]] (''Eremophila bilopha'')
|-
|[[File:Red-capped lark, Calandrella cinerea, at Mapungubwe National Park, Limpopo, South Africa (23514690044).jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Calandrella]]''''' {{small|Kaup, 1829}}||
* [[Hume's short-toed lark]] (''Calandrella acutirostris'')
* [[Mongolian short-toed lark]] (''Calandrella dukhunensis'')
* [[Blanford's lark]] (''Calandrella blanfordi'')
* [[Rufous-capped lark]] (''Calandrella eremica'')
* [[Red-capped lark]] (''Calandrella cinerea'') 
* [[Greater short-toed lark]] (''Calandrella brachydactyla'')
|-
|[[File:Melanocorypha calandra.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Melanocorypha]]''''' {{small|F. Boie, 1828}}||
* [[Bimaculated lark]] (''Melanocorypha bimaculata'')
* [[Calandra lark]] (''Melanocorypha calandra'')
* [[Black lark]] (''Melanocorypha yeltoniensis'')
* [[Mongolian lark]] (''Melanocorypha mongolica'')
* [[Tibetan lark]] (''Melanocorypha maxima'')
|-
|[[File:Dupont's Lark, Morocco 1 (crop) (cropped).jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Chersophilus]]''''' {{small|Sharpe, 1890}}||
*Dupont's lark (''Chersophilus duponti'') 
|-
|[[File:Dunn's Lark.jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Eremalauda]]''''' {{small|WL Sclater, 1926}}||
*[[Dunn's lark]] (''Eremalauda dunni'')
*[[Arabian lark]] (''Eremalauda eremodites'')
|-
|[[File:Terrera marismeña (Calandrella rufescens) (8649673388) (2) (cropped).jpg|175px]]||'''''[[Alaudala]]''''' {{small|Horsfield & Moore, 1858}}||
* [[Athi short-toed lark]] (''Alaudala athensis'')
* [[Asian short-toed lark]] (''Alaudala cheleensis'')
* [[Somali short-toed lark]] (''Alaudala somalica'')
* [[Turkestan short-toed lark]] (''Alaudala heinei'')
* [[Mediterranean short-toed lark]] (''Alaudala rufescens'')
* [[Sand lark]] (''Alaudala raytal'')
|-
|}

=== Extinct genera===
* Genus ''[[Eremarida]]'' – (''Eremarida xerophila'')